Breath Of Life
by asongtosing
Summary: Searching, it's a single truth that every living being can agree upon, that we can hope to find whatever it is we're looking for. What I found was definitely not what I expected. Now the world faces such a threat that even the Avengers are desperate. Lies can smother, words can kill, and love can be a strife, but I'd be willing to risk it all just for a breath of life. Loki/OC
1. Duty Calls

**Hey guys! I've been reading alot of Loki/OC stories lately and decided it's time I make one of my own. It's set after the Avengers movie. I hope you like it. Don't forget to review, favorite, or follow! ;)**

**Lyra - (Leer-rah) **

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**Duty Calls**

Searching, it's a single truth that every living being can agree upon, that we can hope to find whatever it is we're looking for. We're born, raised to develop minds of our own, and left to begin our journey to an unknown awaiting prize. At least that was the notion believed by lowly elementary school music teacher Lyra Lane. She had the habit of falling into deep philosophical pondering and it often led to snickers from her young students, much like right now. They pulled her out of her spell and she addressed them with a wide smile, apologizing for what seemed like the thousandth time.

Her current group of third graders each gave back a bright smile in return.

"Alright class, now that I've done a little thinking, it's time to reveal what to expect for our spring music concert." She said excitedly.

The children's faces lit up and they all started chattering at once.

"Okay, okay, settle down now," their young voices quieting, "I know you're all very eager and so am I because your class has been assigned something very important."

That got their attention immediately, all of their faces full with curiosity. She looked at each individual to let their imaginations stew with what could possibly be so important. One little boy though, could not hold his excitement any further.

"What is it Ms. Lane?" A young dark haired boy asked politely, holding his hand in the air.

Andrew, always the anxious one. Lyra gave him a warm smile and clasped her hands together.

"This year's show is going to be very special because your class will be performing for the first anniversary of the New York alien attack."

Twenty pairs of eyes bulged and the noise level rose again with whispers and shouts.

Andrew raised his hand again, this time more urgently. "Will Captain America be there ?"

A blonde boy seated next to him punched him in the arm. "Of course he will! Won't he Ms. Lane?"

"Ty, don't punch your brother! What is the one rule in my class?" She asked sternly, hands on her hips.

"Don't do unto others what you wouldn't want done to you." He said softly, looking like a beaten puppy.

"Exactly. Now apologize to your brother and behave." Lyra ordered.

"Sorry Drew." Ty mumbled.

Andrew nodded, rubbing his sore arm. Lyra sighed and looked at the two brothers. More often than not, Ty would pick on his younger brother and it frustrated Lyra to no end. It didn't help that Ty's actions set an example for the other boys to pick on poor Andrew or that most of the other children preferred Ty to him either. Ty was the boy everyone wanted to be friends with while Andrew was treated like the Bubonic plague. There was absolutely nothing wrong with him and no reason why he shouldn't be as popular as his brother.

"Okay, now where was I?" She asked rhetorically.

The shrilling sound of the bell broke her backtracking and she quickly rambled bits of information about the concert as the students filed out the door for recess.

"Ty and Andrew, stay." She said quickly, before the two boys could leave.

As the last students exited, Lyra kicked the door stand away and shut the door to her classroom. The two siblings still sat in their assigned seats looking at her expectantly. She walked over to her desk in the right corner of the room and pushed her rolling chair in front of them.

She looked at both with a concerned look and spoke gently.

"You two must stop this war you're raging. It's not what brothers do." She scolded.

"But Ms. Lane, it's not my fault that the others don't like him. He doesn't even like anyone else!" Ty exclaimed defensively.

"That is no excuse to physically harm your brother. If I catch you doing that again there will be consequences." She warned. "Now go outside and play."

The golden-haired boy rose from his seat defeated and left the room, Lyra watching after him.

"He hates me, they all do." Andrew said quietly, getting Lyra's attention.

"Hey now, no he doesn't." She said softly, putting a hand on his shoulder.

"Then why don't they like me?" He said, sniffling and looking at the carpet.

"Look at me Andrew," she said, lifting his chin up so she could see his green eyes, "there is nothing wrong with you at all, you're amazing just the way you are. The others just haven't gotten to see that yet."

She got up from her kneeling position in front of him and grabbed a few tissues from a box on her desk, handing them to him.

"When will they see?" He asked, wiping his nose.

"When you want them to." She replied back warmly, wiping away the wet trails that stained his cheeks.

He looked at her, puzzled, tilting his head slightly.

"Show them that you want to be their friend and that you're not afraid of them." She explained.

"What if they don't want to be my friend?" He asked, face contorted with doubt.

"Then they missed out on a great opportunity. Besides, if they don't want to be your friend then you'll always have one in me." She said pleasantly, giving him a big smile.

"Thank you Ms. Lane." He said happily, wrapping his arms around her.

"Your welcome Andrew," She said sincerely, smiling, "now go outside and make some more friends, alright?"

"Okay." He replied, jumping out of his seat with new spirit.

Lyra watched him go and hoped that none of the other children would be mean to him. She never liked to play favorites with any of her students but if she had to choose, Andrew would be at the top of her list. He was always willing to help her with any small tasks and often gave up his recess time to help her choose the songs they'd sing for future lessons. Aside from the occasional scolding, Andrew's brother was also a joy to have. Ty was always the one to sing loud enough to encourage the others to join in too. It was a shame that Andrew felt shadowed by his older brother and Lyra made a mental note to talk about it with the boys' parents when conferences came around again.

Now that that small matter was solved, the music teacher went back to planning the upcoming spring concert. It was a complete surprise that the City of New York chose Ryder Elementary School above all other schools to perform on behalf of the city, let alone her third grade class. It was even harder to believe that it had only been a year since the alien attack.

Lyra remembered that day well, how everyone was running wild trying to get all the children to the tornado shelter in the gym. It wasn't until she got home late that night that she saw exactly what had happened to downtown New York. There was debris everywhere and carcasses of strange, otherworldly creatures big and small. Interview after interview appeared on her television screen, different people all claiming that the world was saved by a small group of people the government controlled.

One of two identifiable members Lyra recognized was billionaire Tony Stark in his highly advanced Iron Man suit. The news claimed another man that had a costume of red, white, and blue was an American soldier called Captain America. None of the other members were identified, but Lyra still wanted to know more about the attack. It didn't take her long to find a crappy cell-phone video online that someone took of that day. It was hard to make out anything solid, since the person holding the device was shaking uncontrollably. In the few last seconds of the video though, a big green mass took over much of the view of the camera and a terrifying roar came from it. It was under the video that someone had written their take on what it was, speculating that the creature in the video was the same one that nearly destroyed Harlem three years ago.

It made Lyra curious as to what other secrets the government had and even more about this new global superhero team. She normally stayed clear of anything related to unordinary people or the government. If someone knew that she was apart of that crowd, she could be hunted down, captured, and cut open like some kind of extraterrestrial. She was pretty good at concealing her abilities, only having one accident when she was in her teens, but that was never an excuse to let her guard down. Anything could trigger her powers, so she always tried to remain as calm as possible. Ty and Andrew were enough to test her will and she prayed that her attempts to make things better between them would help not only them, but herself as well.

Lyra didn't realize that she was staring outside at the children playing, drifting off into space again, when a knock at her door startled her.

"Come in." She said, shuffling some papers on her desk to appear busy.

She looked up from the papers to see a man in a dark blue suit enter. He had brown hair with a receding hairline and light blue eyes. He had some sort of ear piece attached to his head and had his hands clasped in front of him. His whole aura screamed discipline and business, a government lackey. Her stomach twisted with fear, but she knew how to put on a calm façade and simply stared at him.

"Hi, can I help you?" She asked, putting down the papers and approaching him slowly.

"Yes, you're Lyra Lane, elementary school music teacher of Ryder Elementary, correct?" He asked nonchalantly.

My brow furrowed in confusion at his unnecessary confirmation of my occupation. "Yes, who are you? What do you want?"

"You may refer to me as Agent Coulson. Ms. Lane, I'm here on account of Director Fury of S.H.I.E.L.D to ask if you'd be willing to lend us your services for your country and would participate in a top secret government project."

Lyra's eyebrows rose at his request, then she let out a scoff of annoyance. "Well unless my country is in serious need of a lesson in vocals, than I'm afraid I don't see how I can be of use."

She began to gather her things to leave for her lunch break, having a panic attack inside. Did they know about her powers? Could she have slipped? No, it wasn't possible.

"Ms. Lane I wasn't referring to your teaching abilities. You and I both know what I'm talking about." He said tranquilly, staring her down.

She was starting to sweat now, her calm mask cracking. "No Agent, I don't. Now if you don't mind, it's my lunch break."

She intended to walk right past him, but he caught her arm before she could move any further.

"Ms. Lane, please don't mistake me for an idiot because I'm not. We know about the incident in Central Park on April 5th, 2000 when you were sixteen. Now, would you like to change your story?"

Lyra wanted to run at that moment, to sprint for her life and never look back. She couldn't make that choice though, to live a life of constant running. Instead she chose to stop playing dumb and start asking questions.

"Okay Agent, so you and your boss know about me. I've tried very hard my whole life to not gain attention from the likes of you people, yet here you are. I do not approve of being involved in government affairs and I'm certainly not going to blindly sign up to be split open on a metal table. So you have about three seconds to take your hand off of me and explain a little more about why you're here before things get ugly." The dark-haired educator deadpanned.

He did as she said, unaffected by her biting words and gestured to one of the chairs her students sat in. She sat down, eyeing him warily as he sat too.

"To put it simply Ms. Lane, the fate of the world is in trouble again and we need more people like you to help us change that." He said seriously, gauging the young teacher's reaction.

"Let me get this straight, you want me to put my trust in an agency I've never heard of, sign up to be on a top secret government team and leave my whole life behind all so I can dress up and play superhero?" She asked breathlessly.

"Yes Ms. Lane I am," He said blankly, "and we're running out of time."

"I have no military training and barely have control over my powers Agent Coulson. I'm afraid I'm going to have to decline." She said with certitude, walking away from him.

"I hoped that you would cooperate, but it looks like we're going to have to do this the hard way."

She stopped dead at his words and noted a tone of regret in his voice when she felt a prick at the back of her neck. She only had a few seconds to pull the tiny dart out and look at Coulson in shock before everything went black.

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**Ta da, hope that was long enough for a first chapter. It's always hard getting through the introductions because you always want to get to the good stuff, I know. Next chapter should introduce some more characters and a little more character development for Lyra. Thanks for reading and please review!**

**ASTS**


	2. Truth Be Told

**Hello dear readers! I'm happy that my story got some reviews, favorites, and followers. I was kinda tired how most of these Loki/OC stories usually had the OC as a scientist, S.H.I.E.L.D. agent, or young teenage girl. I also forgot to mention earlier that I had Coulson live, I just can't handle him dying so I'll be in blissful denial that he's alive and well.**

**So here's chapter two, I went ahead and introduced most of the Avengers. Enjoy! :)**

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to Marvel. My OC and other unafiliated characters are mine alone. **

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**Truth Be Told**

The strong smell of leather and the sound of roaring engines woke Lyra out of her deep sleep. Her eyelids were heavy still and she fought to stay awake trying to get a grip on where she was. The memories started flooding back and her electric blue eyes shot open. She straightened up in the seat she was buckled into, the feeling of her face peeling from the leather stung a bit and most definitely left an imprint on her skin.

The roaring still invaded her eardrums and she swallowed to relieve them from the immense pressure. She was on a plane, a very expensive one at that. There was another seat in front of hers, the same cream color, and to her left was a luxurious couch that matched. To the right was even a little mini bar, fully stocked. It didn't seem like the government would have alcohol aboard their aircrafts, so who did this plane belong to?

Lyra wanted to get up and explore her prison but when she looked down at her hands to unfasten the seat belt, she saw they were bound with the most unusual pair of handcuffs she'd ever seen. They were made of some sort of metal, but were enclosed completely around her hands. Her wrists were so close together that her arms made a V shape. The metal contraption would be hard to lift and impossible to break by human standards, but she wasn't exactly human. She lifted her arms to examine the contraption more closely. Her hands looked like they had melded into a huge black cork.

Anger contorted her features, she was on a plane going god knows where, had her wrists pinned together like a clapping seal, and couldn't even stand to stretch her legs from her long sleep. She began to pull her wrists apart to break the infernal constrictor. The metal was very strong, but she was stronger.

"I wouldn't do that Ms. Lane, unless you want us to knock you out again." A voice said behind her.

Lyra's head shot up from her task and she strained to look behind her at the unseen presence. She found that the seats could rotate 360 degrees and moved her seat to where she could see her mysterious visitor. It was a woman, to Lyra's surprise, standing at the back of the room. She had short curly red hair, full lips, and an aura of danger. Obviously not somebody you'd want to mess with, but Lyra was beyond civility at the moment and narrowed her eyes at the redhead.

"You got lucky the first time, next time I won't be so unprepared." Lyra seethed.

"It would be in your best interests to cooperate fully, lest you get angry and do something you'll regret… again." She said calmly, arching an eyebrow.

Lyra was shocked by the verbal blow and lost all thoughts of control. She slammed the metal cuffs down hard on her knees, creating a large dent in them.

"I already am angry!" She yelled, standing up and breaking her seat belt with ease in the process.

The windows inside the room shuttered and the ceiling vibrated. Quick as lightning, the woman took a pistol out from her person, clicked off the safety, and pointed it at Lyra's head. She saw a trace of fear in the woman's eyes and all Lyra could hear were the plane's engines and her own heavy breathing.

The cabin door opened suddenly and Lyra turned to see who else was joining the stand off.

"Now ladies, it's an absolute rule on my plane that if any kind of girl fight breaks out, I must be in attendance." A man with dark hair, brown eyes, and a cheeky grin said.

It was the Tony Stark standing right in front of her. His grin faltered when he looked at Lyra's dented and slightly torn handcuffs.

"Looks like someone doesn't know their own strength. If I had known we were dealing with Xena the warrior princess, I would have made some more modifications." He commented, making a b-line to the mini bar and pouring himself a glass of scotch.

Lyra's eyebrows rose, shocked that Tony Stark was speaking to her and the way he was so nonchalant about the woman who still had a gun trained on her. Her anger diffused and a million questions started running across her mind, so she started with the easiest one she could think of.

"What are you doing here Mr. Stark?" She asked, lowering her joined hands.

He took a long swig from his glass and winced a little at her formality. "Please, Mr. Stark was my father, call me Tony."

"Alright Tony, mind explaining to me why you're involved in all of this?" Lyra said impatiently.

"Well S.H.I.E.L.D. hasn't given me any details, but according to them you're special and they want you to fight the good fight." He explained, downing the rest of his drink.

"I distinctly remember saying no to their request, but here I am handcuffed and on a plane flying to an unknown location." She said flatly.

The playboy let out a small chuckle. "They don't take kindly to negative responses; Agent Romanoff's trigger happy reaction being a clear example."

The redhead shot a glare at Stark and lowered her weapon, putting it back in its holster.

"It's not like bullets could harm me anyway, they'd just slow me down." Lyra said tiredly, moving to sit on the cushy couch.

Agent Romanoff snapped her head in Lyra's direction, looking at her with a calculating gaze. She mumbled something about seeing the pilot and excused herself from the room.

"What was that all about?" Lyra asked, raising an eyebrow.

"S.H.I.E.L.D. claims to know all about you, but I suppose that little bit of information you just let spill proves that they don't exactly hold all the cards." He stated matter-of-factly, sitting down next to her.

Lyra smiled with satisfaction, so they didn't know exactly all she could do. This could work in her favor; but then again she was still the one being held captive.

"Mr. Sta- Tony, I understand that the organization you're affiliated with sees use in me, but saving the world is really not at the top of my list of things to do right now. I don't see my powers as something good, more of a burden really. All I want is to go home and return back to my normal life." She said sternly, attempting to cross her arms and remembering her dilemma.

"Look, I know the whole government secret kidnapping thing pissed you off but give this another chance. Two years ago I was just the head of a weapons manufacturing company, doing sale after sale and believed I was bringing peace. In reality I was unknowingly bringing death and destruction to innocent people. It was then that I realized that there was more for me to offer the world than make things that blow up." He said seriously.

"You found what you were looking for." Lyra stated quietly, smiling at the proof of her theory.

"You could put it that way, or you could say it was time I made some toys for myself." He remarked, revealing his trademark smart-alec grin again.

Lyra sighed playfully. "Boys and their toys."

"We should be arriving soon to the Hellicarier." He stated, pulling out a thin piece of glass from his pocket.

It lit up instantly, Stark started tapping and swiping away. He looked back at her perplexed expression.

"You'll see, it's pretty mind blowing." He stated, rising from the couch and heading towards the door Agent Romanoff exited through.

"Tony wait, can you get this death trap off of my hands? I promise to be good." She stated quickly when he looked at her warily.

"I would love to princess, but you kind of ripped the lock when you tried to pry them apart." He pointed out, motioning his head towards the jagged metal.

"Well I'll just have to do it the old fashioned way then. Oh and don't call me princess." She said blankly, pulling the metal apart and letting it clank to the floor with a thud.

She flexed her fingers and rubbed her hands, glad to be free of the restraining gadget.

The technical genius stared at her, impressed. "Alright then, what do you prefer?"

"You can call me Lyra." She replied, crossing her arms.

"What do you do for a living again?" Stark asked curiously.

"I'm an elementary school music teacher." She said plainly, standing up again and patting away imaginary dust off her black slacks.

"I'll tell you one thing; you are definitely working the wrong day job." He asserted, looking from the stay pieces of metal to the strange women in front of him.

She smirked, shrugging her shoulders. "That's what they tell me."

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Lyra watched as the plane flew closer to the mysterious floating fortress known as the "Hellicarier". It was breathtaking to say the least, but it also made her a little bit nervous to see the kind of technology they had access to. The plane landed smoothly on the runway and Agent Romanoff reappeared to escort her out onto the open platform. When the agent saw that Lyra had broken her restraint she considered her more of a threat than before and trailed behind her closely.

Stepping off the plane, Lyra saw all sorts of pilots and aerial crew running around. She followed Tony through a door that led to the inside of the aircraft. Groups of people passed them; all having some kind of weapon attached to their person. Stark took many turns down long hallways and finally entered into a large room. Lyra guessed that this was the control room of the whole vessel. They were standing on a raised portion of room, above many agents that were tapping and sliding their fingers across screens.

Settled in the center of it all, Lyra focused on an African-American man wearing an all black outfit and had a black eye patch over his left eye. His hands were folded behind him and he stood in a power stance. She knew at once that this was the man in charge of it all, Director Fury.

"Stark, Agent Romanoff, glad you could make it. Welcome to S.H.I.E.L.D. Ms. Lane." He greeted, nodding to Lyra.

"We meet at last Director, though I had no intentions to in the first place." She said coolly, taking a seat at a long table and folding one leg over the other.

"It was a necessary action. We desperately need your services Ms. Lane and if you'll bear with me, I hope I can change your mind about all of this." He said confidently, striding over to address a female agent watching over the others.

"_Fat chance."_ Lyra thought curtly, fiddling with the hem of her wrinkled white blouse.

"How ya holdin' up princess?" Stark said, sitting down beside her.

"Okay I guess. This whole thing is still overwhelming and I feel a little drained." She said exhaustedly, ignoring Stark's nickname.

"Don't fall asleep just yet; you haven't even gotten to see the dream team." He said with enthusiasm, playing with the same translucent instrument he had on the plane.

Like clockwork, the sound of footsteps disrupted their conversation and she turned in her chair to see who was else was joining them.

The first man she saw was Coulson, her eyes narrowing automatically. The next man she saw was about the same height as Agent Romanoff and had short light brown hair. Behind him was a taller, very handsome man with short blonde hair and strange outdated clothes. The last man was very careful in the way he moved and eyed everything with caution. He was wearing glasses and had slightly long dark hair with specs of gray near his temples.

Coulson approached the agitated teacher and she rose to meet him.

"Agent Coulson, how nice to see you again." Lyra remarked sarcastically, crossing her arms.

"As to you Ms. Lane, I apologize for my use of brute force earlier and hope you'll join us." He said politely, dismissing her rude greeting.

"I wouldn't give your hopes up agent." She said bluntly, shaking her head.

He half-smiled at her and walked away to converse with Fury. She looked after him, confused about his mellow nature. Tony barged in on her thinking process and started pushing her towards the three men that had followed in line behind Coulson.

"Tony, what are you doing?" She asked frantically, trying to dig her heels into the floor to stop them from moving.

"Since the Director is too busy to play host, I'm going to have to do introduce you to the team." He said merrily, continuing to scoot Lyra along.

"I don't think tha-"

"Gentlemen! You must meet Fury's latest interest, she's really something special." Tony all but exclaimed, interrupting the trio's conversation.

Lyra looked mortified and sent Tony a chilling glare that he didn't seem to notice. She turned her gaze on the three men and gave a weak smile.

"Hi, I'm Lyra." She uttered with an awkward wave, blushing.

Before any of them could reply, Tony took control again and introduced each one to her.

"This is Agent Clint Barton," the billionaire gestured to the brown-haired man, "master assassin, archer, and spy. He also goes by Hawkeye. Natasha's also an assassin and goes by Black Widow, but you've already met her."

Lyra thought the nickname graced her well. Barton nodded at her and she shook his hand, noting he was a man of very few words. Tony turned her towards the handsome man.

"Now nobody can overlook our country's golden boy Captain America, a.k.a. Steve Rodgers. Now you may have noticed the man's odd choice of fashion, but that my dear is because the man is from a different time, WWII to be exact. He was chosen to be injected with a super-serum and ended up being frozen in time for seventy years. He's our little Cap-sickle." Tony said mockingly, smirking at him.

Lyra's eyes widened at the unbelievable story. The poor guy was probably lost in the 21st century. It must be terrible to have everything you know change.

Steve frowned at Stark's insults.

"It's nice to see you too Mr. Stark." He said sarcastically.

It was obvious the two did not like each other much and Lyra could see why. A man from the past working with a man about the future was not a good mix.

"You were really frozen for all that time?" She asked sadly.

"Yes ma'am, but I'm getting back out in the world." He said reassuringly.

"Well I think you dress very modestly Captain." She commented, smiling at the slight blush that tinted his cheeks.

"Thank you ma'am." He said, returning the smile.

"And last, but certainly not least, Dr. Bruce Banner. A brilliant scientist, expert in gamma radiation, and has the ability to turn into a huge green rage monster, the Hulk." Tony said bluntly, beating his way into the conversation again.

The man shrunk a little, uncomfortable with Tony's arm slung on his shoulder. Lyra remembered the cell phone video footage and looked at the man with awe and fear.

"That's incredible. How do you control it doctor?" She asked curiously.

"Lots of patience and meditation, but sometimes the other guy will come out wanting to smash whatever is in his way." He said softly, scratching the back of his head nervously.

"That's alright; I like to smash things too." She said happily, shooting Tony a knowing look.

"You owe me big time for that princess." He joked, pointing a finger at her.

"Or someone needs to get back to the drawing board." She teased, pushing his hand away.

All three men were looked at her with new interest, curious about what she was referring to.

"I'm sorry, but what exactly is it that you can do Ms. Lane?" Bruce pried.

Lyra froze, unsure how to go about answering the question. No one had ever asked about her powers before and she never had thought of preparing an explanation because she never imagined anyone would find out about them.

Her mouth opened and closed, trying to formulate a response.

"That information, Dr. Banner, will be revealed in time should Ms. Lane choose to accept our request." Fury said loudly, gaining everyone's attention.

"Let's begin people." The stoic man ordered.

Everyone moved towards the large table and chose their seats. Lyra chose to sit in-between Steve and Tony, saving everyone from a future headache. Clint and Natasha sat together across from her. Bruce decided to sit a few seats away from Natasha and Coulson sat close to Fury. When they were all settled, they turned their attention to him at the end of the table.

"The fate of world is in trouble again and this time it's a foe that is ten times stronger than the last. The Avengers Initiative has shown that united, it can withstand against unspeakable odds. I'm hoping you all can accomplish that again, only this time you're going to require more help." He spoke, staring down Lyra with his single eye.

"Director, who is this new foe?" Steve asked urgently.

"We're not entirely sure; until everyone is assembled we can't go any further. We believe that Thor might be able to shed some light on the subject." The ominous man replied.

Lyra frowned at the unfamiliar name, thinking she'd met all the team members.

"Who's Thor? Why isn't he here?" Lyra questioned, all eyes set on her.

"I'm not sure how to tell you this princess; it's a hard story to swallow." Tony interjected.

"Tony, just mere minutes ago I became privy to all sorts of preposterous information that can't be true but apparently is. I think I can handle whatever else today has to throw at me." She stated irritably, turning her seat to face him.

"Okay, but bear with me. You're familiar with Norse Mythology right?" He asked.

"A little." She replied, squinting her eyes.

"Well Thor, he's the god of thunder and he's real. He's from a faraway place called Asgard and is pure royalty. Oh and his adopted brother Loki, the god of mischief, was the one who led an alien army attack on New York." Tony said casually.

Lyra just stared at him and blinked a couple of times.

"Wow, that really is a hard story to swallow and I'm sorry but I don't buy it. I can find some logic in a man being trapped in ice or another turning into a green superhuman, but what you just said is crazy. Those people are legends, myths that were created by man." She argued, thinking that this was pushing the boundaries of reality and her mind.

"It's nothing but the truth princess. They're real and we've all seen both of them, fought alongside one and beat the arrogance out of the other." Tony said proudly, rubbing his finger nails against his chest and admiring them.

She put her head between her hands in exasperation. They were asking her to believe in fairytales and fables. It took a lot just to accept that what happened to Steve was true, but the way that he talked and dressed was enough evidence to convince her. Unlike now, there was nothing to prove that these people even existed.

"Thor will arrive tomorrow and the debriefing will take place at Stark Tower. Ms. Lane, I've arranged for you to stay there until everyone is present and let you make your final decision then. Dismissed." The Director informed them, leaving the group to their thoughts.

Lyra slumped in her chair, defeated from the day's events. So the so called god of thunder was coming tomorrow. This was something that she had to see and as a plus she'd get to sneak a peek in Stark tower. Her thoughts then drifted to other matters, zoning out all other voices. Could this whole situation she was involved in be some kind of path to find whatever she was searching for? It was a possibility. Maybe things would make more sense by tomorrow. Her decision about the Avengers Initiative was still lenient towards rejection, but it was out of pure curiosity about these gods they spoke of that kept the spark of acceptance alive.

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**There ya go, what do you think? It's a lot to take in and this is only the beginning for poor Lyra. Next chapter should introduce Thor and everybody's favorite villian. ;D**

**Don't forget to review!**

**ASTS**


	3. To Stand or Fall?

**Hey guys! Finally finished this chapter. It was a long one, but I think it'll get things moving. Plus Loki arrives! :D I've really enjoyed writing this so far and can't wait to get to all the action. Thank you for all your favorites, follows and reviews! I hope to get plenty more.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own any Marvel characters or movie diologue. My OC is mine only.**

* * *

**To Stand or Fall? **

The ride back to Stark Tower was a long one and Lyra couldn't fight back the droopiness of her eyes. Thankfully when she woke up her hands weren't bound together and she opened her eyes to see Steve's smiling face instead, telling her they were there. She drug her feet off the plane and into the waiting limo with Stark's personal driver, Happy, manning the vehicle. Unknowingly, she drifted off again on their way into the city. Halfway there, Steve felt a sudden heavy weight pressing against his shoulder and craned his head to see that the pretty woman was using his arm as a pillow, not that Steve was complaining. Tony began to comment about how the two should get a room, much to Steve's annoyance. The others tuned out their banter, ignoring the usual arguments the two started.

When the car lurched to a halt Lyra shot up wide-awake. The group sauntered up through the front doors and into the elevator to the top floor where the living quarters were located. Everyone picked his or her rooms and Stark retrieved some borrowed sleepwear from Pepper for Lyra. She mumbled a groggy "Thanks." and went to her new room. The tired teacher unceremoniously put on the comfy gray sweat pants and blue t-shirt. She didn't even bother to pull back the covers as she fell into sweet unconsciousness as soon as her head hit the pillow.

* * *

The sky was beginning to light up again, hues of pink and purple colored the clouds with the first rays of the sun breaking through them. Lyra had always been a morning person and enjoyed the sunrise. She climbed out of bed, running a hand through her hair. The little naps she had the night before renewed her energy and made waking up easier.

She crept quietly out of her room so she wouldn't disturb any of the sleeping heroes. The blue-eyed tutor took in her surroundings with curiosity, not having a chance to look around the night before. Of course the tower had a beautiful view of downtown New York, a large section of wall with an all glass window was enough to prove it. There were a few of the same soft couches like on Stark's plane and a large flat screen TV attached to the wall on her left. The kitchen sat in-between the TV area and the hallway to everyone's rooms. In the center of the room the hard tiled floor melded into a circular pit of soft carpet with a couple of chairs and a small table, a fireplace in front of it. In the right hand corner of the room was Tony's extensive bar, filled with all kinds of imported liquors and spirits. It was an impressive home that Lyra would never be able to afford on a teacher's salary, but she was honored to at least be a guest in it.

She was about to step outside on the walkway when her stomach growled fiercely, reminding her that she hadn't eaten since breakfast yesterday.

"Shall I prepare you some breakfast miss?" A voice asked out of nowhere.

Lyra jumped at the sudden noise and searched around for the source of the voice.

"What the hell?" She asked the empty room, tensing for an attack.

"Allow to me to introduce myself madam, I'm Jarvis. I am an Artificial Intelligence program created by Mr. Stark to run the tower and take care of any need of his guests." The robotic British voice stated.

Wow, Stark really outdid himself. She relaxed from her fighting stance and put her hands on her hips.

"That's a relief, I thought you were a burglar or something. Now, you were saying something about breakfast?" She said hopefully, looking up at the ceiling.

"Yes miss, what can I can get for you?" The invisible butler asked.

"French Toast, bacon, and a side of strawberries?" She asked warily, unsure if she was going too far.

"Coming right up miss." The AI replied smoothly.

Lyra smiled at the thought of not having to cook for herself for once. She ventured into the kitchen, deciding to pour herself a glass of milk. Opening the double door fridge, she grabbed the gallon of white liquid and set it on the island in the middle of the kitchen. Then she grabbed a mug hanging on a metal hook underneath the cabinets and poured until the cup was full. When she put the milk away, a whirring noise came from the center of the island and a hole appeared. A tray with her order rose out of it, silverware and syrup already along with it.

"Thanks Jarvis." She said brightly, grabbing the tray and heading towards the outside door again.

"You're welcome miss. Can I do anything else for you?" He said as she opened the door.

"If anyone asks where I am, tell them I'm outside." She directed, closing the door behind her.

"Will do miss." He acknowledged.

Lyra walked along the pathway to a sort of landing pad at the end of it. She wasn't sure what it was for, but it was the closest thing to the edge of the tower. Sitting the tray down beside her, she let her legs dangle over the edge while she sipped her milk. The clouds had already parted and the sun sparkled brightly, reflecting off the Empire State building nearby. The morning air blew her hair around and for the first time in years she actually felt relaxed. Sadly, this moment wouldn't last because she had a big day ahead of her. Today being judgement day and supposedly also the day she gets to meet the god of thunder whom she still didn't believe in the slightest.

She munched on her French toast thoughtfully and watched the city come to life below her. The risk of being this high off the ground with no safety railing didn't really affect her. In fact it was a real surge of adrenaline to think that she could easily fall to her end. Lyra always wondering what it would be like to take the plunge without thinking twice. She wasn't suicidal but just wanted to experience that feeling of free falling, now that would be living.

"You know, if you wanted to be dropped to your death all you had to do was ask." A familiar voice sounded behind her.

She turned around to see Stark smirking at her tauntingly from the doorway. She brought her legs off the edge of the platform and stood up with her empty tray.

"Remind me to put that on my bucket list." She teased back, walking towards him.

"You have a bucket list? How cliché." He mocked, holding the door open for her.

" What are you doing up so early Mr. Hangover?" She shot back, putting her dishes in the sink.

"The thunder god is coming today around noon and Fury wanted a test room set up before we're debriefed." He informed her, taking a seat on one of the barstools at the island.

She rolled her eyes at the mention of the god, but perked up her ears when he mentioned a "test room".

"What's the test room for?" She demanded, pointing a finger at him.

"Fury wants you to show us what you can do." He answered innocently, hands up in defense.

She sighed. "Tony I haven't used my full powers in so long, the last time I did was a complete disaster."

He looked at her with pity. "You'll make it through this Lyra, I know it. You're stronger you give yourself credit for."

She ogled him for a second, not believing he actually said her name, then smiled sincerely at the philanthropist.

"Well what do you know, Tony Stark is capable of having a heart to heart." She baited, turning on her heel to her room to get ready for the day.

"Just don't tell anybody, I've got a rep to protect." He called out to her before she closed her bedroom door laughing.

* * *

After taking a long hot shower, Lyra wrapped her body and hair in a towel. She planned on putting on her same white blouse and black slacks she had on yesterday, but found only her black ballet flats. She couldn't wear a towel around her torso all day, especially when the tower was expecting company. A knock at her door resounded before she could ask Jarvis for some assistance. Lyra opened the door a crack and saw that it was Tony's faithful assistant and girlfriend, Pepper Pots.

"Hey Pepper." She greeted, opening the door a little more.

"Hi Lyra, I brought some more clothes for you to wear and some toiletries. Your other clothes were taken to the dry cleaners." She informed her, handing her a folded bundle.

"Thanks Pepper, you didn't have to do that." She obliged, taking the stack from her.

"No problem. Thor will be here in less than an hour and Fury should arrive shortly after him." The redhead notified.

"Okay, but tell me something Pepper." The anxious scholar spoke cautiously.

"What is it?" She asked with concern.

"How exactly do you greet royalty? Tony told me that Thor is apparently a king and I have no hope of pulling off a successful curtsy, if that's even the correct way to greet someone of nobility."

Pepper laughed at Lyra's odd sort of priorities and put a hand on her shoulder.

"Don't worry about it, on Earth Thor doesn't care for formalities."

Lyra was relieved knowing she wouldn't have to brush up on her etiquette and nodded her head in understanding, feeling a little stupid.

"Good to know, I'll get ready now."

Pepper nodded and smiled, leaving her in peace.

Lyra closed the door with frustration; this deity business was wearing thin on her nerves. She observed the bunch of clothes in her arms and decided to pick something from the pile. The most sensible choice that wouldn't clash with her flats, was the blue and black sundress. Lyra grabbed a pair of underwear from the assortment and put on the dress, studying her self in the full-length mirror by her dresser. Thankfully it wasn't too small and didn't squeeze the life out of her cleavage with its built in bra. The halter strap fit snuggly at the base of her neck and her only pair of shoes didn't conflict with the ensemble.

The only thing left to do was dry her hair and brush her teeth. Lyra easily found a blow dryer underneath the sink, but there wasn't a flat iron to be found. Without a flat iron, her hair was impossibly wavy and liked to bunch up, sticking at odd angles. She didn't want to risk walking out of her room to their expected guest with wet hair, so she bit the bullet and would try to tame it as best she could.

Flipping the on switch to the drier, the droning sound dulled out any chance of outside noise being heard. After forty-five minutes of mindless air induced hair flailing, Lyra was finished. Brushing the wavy mass, she was surprised to see it wasn't unruly at all. The static in the air was usually her biggest problem, but the electricity ceased to exist. A loud boom from the sky sounded from outside Stark Tower and the lights in her bathroom suddenly flickered. Lyra's eyebrows furrowed in confusion at the sound of the thunderstorm, remembering the weather being calm this morning. She shrugged her shoulders and retrieved the dental supplies in the bag of toiletries.

The scraping noise of the brush going back and forth on her teeth echoed off the walls. She turned on the faucet and scooped some water in her mouth to rinse. She spit in the sink and was wiping her mouth clean when without warning the light bulbs above the mirror exploded into shards and electricity crackled all around her. She didn't have time to scream and instead kicked into survival mode, fleeing the bathroom. Shouting emitted from outside her bedroom and she quickly ran out of her room to see what was causing the commotion.

Nothing could have prepared her for the scene she saw before her. Everyone was on full attack mode and the tension in the air was thicker than cold molasses, no one noticing her entrance to the room. Tony was decked out in his Iron Man suit, lasers and missiles out. Natasha had two pistols cocked and raised; Clint was poised deadly with his bow and arrow. Steve had his shield in front of him and was in a crouching position. Bruce was standing by the bar with glasses askew, faintly shaking with anger. All were ready to take action against the threat that was standing back against the large glass window and Lyra wondered who could get such a hostile reaction out of the group.

She stepped forward to get a better look at the invader. It was a man, no scratch that, an enormous man. He was a mountain of muscle shrouded in heavy looking metal armor with a red cape and had long blonde hair with sky blue eyes. Those eyes were raging with anger at the moment and in his right hand a hammer as big as Lyra's head was raised in a combat position with threads of electricity surrounding it. It wasn't hard to figure out that he was Thor, the god of thunder. He was very intimidating to say the least, a true warrior no doubt. She believed every word Tony had told her now, her mouth hanging open with shock and confusion. What Lyra wanted to know was why everyone was so upset, she thought that Thor was a friend not an enemy. She was about to announce her presence when the shouting started again.

"What's he doing here Thor?" Tony's distorted voice demanded.

"He is here as an ally man of iron, not an enemy." The man replied with the same animosity in a strange accent.

"You expect us to believe that after all he did?" Natasha spat with malice.

Lyra's mind was burning with questions about the situation before her but she couldn't find a way to cut into the argument.

"Let's take him out while we still have a chance." Clint declared, fingers itching to release his projectile.

"You will have to go through me to do so archer." The thunder god warned darkly, pointing his hammer at him.

The room became filled with incomprehensible chatter as the situation was escalating towards all out war. Lyra was irritated with all the noise and saw that Bruce wouldn't be able to take much more of this. She went with the first solution that came to her head.

"Shut the hell up!" Lyra yelled.

The room vibrated, more violently than any other time she yelled before. Everyone stopped fighting and felt a strange pulse radiate off of their chests. All attention turned onto Lyra, whose deep blue eyes were blazing with annoyance.

"What is going on out here?" She commanded, looking at all the shocked faces staring back at her.

"Thor brought an unwanted visitor." Tony answered bitterly, pointing at the vexed blonde.

She turned her head towards the god who looked at her apprehensively.

"So you're the one Tony keeps on talking about." She said warmly, changing her expression and passing through the semi-circle of heroes to him.

"I have to say, I didn't believe you existed at first but now I couldn't have been more wrong." She continued, looking up at him curiously.

The demigod was confused at the yelling woman's odd switch of mood. He lowered his sparking hammer, seeing she was no threat and looked down at her with the same curiosity.

"Who are you fair lady?"

"I'm Lyra Lane, possible new addition to the Avengers Initiative. Welcome to Earth." She said smiling.

She held out her hand for him to shake. He took her hand, but instead of shaking it he placed a kiss upon her knuckles. Lyra's cheeks burned bright red at his strange custom, lost for words on how to respond. The other Avengers stared at the pair, amazed how Lyra easily diffused the situation.

"Sorry to interrupt you're new bonding time princess, but we were kind of in the middle of something." Tony complained.

"You are of nobility?" Thor questioned her.

Lyra didn't need x-ray vision to see that inside the suit Tony was rolling his eyes at the god's oblivious knowledge of nicknames.

"No, no it's just a term of endearment that he uses," She explained quickly to the god, then turned her attention to the billionaire, "and yes Tony I heard you the first time. Now who's the unwanted guest?"

"Him!" Tony shouted, waving his pointed finger impatiently behind Thor.

Lyra stepped around Thor and saw another man she hadn't noticed at all during the argument. He was hard to miss, being at least six feet tall. Either it was Thor's glowing hammer or the sheer size of the thunder god that distracted her from noticing the other man. He was also dressed in strange metal armor and leather like Thor, but had an emerald green color scheme instead and no cape. His hair was long and black, flaring out at the ends and his face was undeniably handsome. He looked inviting, but Lyra wasn't stupid to just give in to looks. There was a reason why everyone had weapons trained on him and those green eyes of his didn't exactly scream friendly. She decided to tread carefully with a blank expression and reminded herself that she wasn't completely helpless.

"Who might you be?" She asked cautiously, tilting her head slightly.

The man smirked mischievously and approached her slowly, like a cat stalking it's prey.

"What makes you so worthy to know mortal?"

Lyra frowned at his show of superiority and crossed her arms defiantly. She looked up at the man with a calculating gaze. He was taller than she was, but not by a long shot, her nose reaching his chin if she was close enough to him. His accent was the same as Thor's, but had a British twist to it.

"Brother behave yourself." Thor threatened, breaking the man's staring contest wit Lyra.

Lyra turned her head to Thor with raised her eyebrows. "Brother?"

"I am _not_ your brother." The man spat venomously, sending the thunder god a chilling glare.

"You're Loki, god of mischief." Lyra said aloud to herself.

It all made sense now. Everyone was hyped up because the man who almost destroyed New York was back unchained and daunting as ever. It was admirable that Thor protected his brother despite the horrible things he did. She didn't understand why he reacted so negatively to his relation to Thor, but figured it was some kind of family matter.

"Yes, you stupid quim. Would you like some praise for your clever conclusion?" He bit sarcastically, his green eyes narrowed at her.

Lyra usually ignored any kind of hurtful remarks people made towards her, but she was a graduate of Julliard and had a broad knowledge of old Shakespearean language. What the god of mischief just said to her, soiled her virtue as a woman and set her off big time. Without thinking, she punched the haughty god right in the nose, watching him stumble back a bit from the force of her blow.

Normally if any being tried to strike Loki he would catch their hand before they could reach him, but Lyra was inhumanly fast with her attack and caught him off guard.

"I don't know how they treat women in Asgard, but here on Earth they are regarded with a little more respect." She said curtly, glaring at him with the force of a hurricane.

The trickster stared at her in shock, holding a hand over his nose. No woman had ever dared to swing at him, let alone succeed at it. His expression dissolved to fury at the foolish mortal woman's action. He marched back up to Lyra and glared down on her with the force of a thousand daggers.

"You shall pay dearly for your mistake woman. I am a god and you shall kneel before me."

Steve saw where this was going and swiftly came to Lyra's rescue.

"Keep your hands to yourself Loki." Steve cautioned, shielding Lyra.

"Ah, the soldier. Come to defend the helpless maiden have you? How meritable." The god of mischief sneered with a smile.

"I don't think she needs any defending," Steve replied while moving aside of the music teacher, "because she sure took care of you."

The man of time smiled smugly at the god's humiliation. Lyra couldn't help the little snort that escaped her mouth at the truth of Steve's words. Loki didn't miss her mockery, eyes boiling with pure rage.

"Lady Lane, man of America, please stop. Loki is here to help our cause, not destroy it." Thor pleaded, standing between them again.

"Why would he turn over a new leaf now?" Clint asked, bow still raised. He wanted nothing more than a second chance to shoot an arrow straight between Loki's eyes.

"Father has made a deal with him. If he supplies information about your world's new enemy, his punishment may be lightened." Thor explained.

"What stops him from double crossing us?" Natasha inquired, still unconvinced.

"The Allfather has taken his magic, rendering him powerless." The thunder god said with certainty.

Slowly, everyone lowered their weapons realizing the danger was not as imminent as before. Bruce had readjusted his glasses and was breathing at a normal rate again. The tension had thinned out, but there was still disagreement about Loki being present.

"I hope that's true, otherwise we have another problem to deal with."

Fury had arrived, stepping from the elevator with Pepper and Coulson at his side.

"Now that the Avengers have assembled, plus one god of mischief," Fury looked at Loki pointedly, "we can begin debriefing."

Lyra and the others piled into the elevator, despite her fear of tight spaces. The night before didn't affect her because she could barely keep her eyes open, now she was terrified. The meeting room was underground, taking an eternity to get to. Lyra was starting to become short of breath and her fingers began to shake. Her pride prevented her from admitting her distress as she screamed on the inside. She looked above her to see any route of escape from the metal deathtrap, but it was sealed well. While searching, she locked eyes with Thor who smiled at his new friend and dismissed her shaking as apart of nerves about joining the team. She strained a smile at him in return and let her eyes wander only to meet Loki's who stood behind his brother. One look and a dark smile told her he knew her greatest fear, no doubt plotting to use it against her later. She snapped her head back to the front, expression blank. Her fear lay forgotten as a new panic overtook her thoughts. If there was one thing worse than having a fear, it was letting an enemy know about it.

The doors finally opened, much to Lyra's relief. She walked into the high tech area, observing the large flat screen attached to the far wall bearing the S.H.I.E.L.D. insignia and the large table accompanied with chairs in the center of the room. The walls and floor were made of thick reinforced concrete, blocking out any electronic signal that could penetrate their gathering. Everyone took their seats except Lyra, who was still collecting herself from the stressful ride down.

"Ms. Lane, please take a seat." Fury's voice ordered from across the room.

She nodded in affirmation and made to sit down when she saw the only available seat was next to the god of mischief. She cursed her luck and saw the devious smile form on his visage. Refusing to give him the satisfaction, she sat down with her head held high and looked at Fury to begin.

"The world is at risk once again, a threat has made itself known to us. You are all called here today to investigate this threat and defend all that you know should this threat bring war to our planet. We do not know what this threat is or where it comes from but we do know it's aware of a great power."

Fury took out a remote from his coat and pressed a button. The TV screen flashed to a picture of a giant meteorite.

"This entered our atmosphere three days ago. Inside was a holographic transmitter of alien origin."

Images and diagnostics of a strange metal disk appeared on the screen.

"It turned itself on after separation from the meteorite. There was no living being present during the recording but a single audio message was recorded."

The director pressed another button on the remote, static crackled for a moment and then a voice spoke.

"_Earth has gone undefeated long enough and will fall to my supremacy. Prepare yourselves. For now, I summon...the end."_

It was a disturbing dark voice, void of any emotion except hate. It gave no expanse of time, what to expect, or even a name. The room fell into silence as the weight of those words settled on everyone's minds. When Loki attacked Earth he planned to rule it as a monarch, but from the sound of the creature's intentions they were heading into a whole different kind of ballgame, annihilation.

"I have been told that Loki knows of this being's origin. Care to share what you know?" The director asked with a fixed gaze on the trickster.

"His name is Thanos, originating from a race of beings known as the Eternals from the moon Titan. It is his plan to not only conquer Earth, but the entire universe with an army."

He spoke with such tranquility it sickened Lyra.

"No offense reindeer games, but what makes him any different than you?" Tony questioned.

"I intended to fix your pathetic realm while he plans to destroy it." Loki snapped.

"Then we're going to need all the help we can get." Steve noted, looking at Lyra expectantly.

"Ms. Lane, the time is now. You know our situation and you know our team. So my question is, what are you prepared to do?"

Fury stared her down, waiting for an answer. She felt like the world's weight was on her shoulders now and realized her decision could easily make or break the fate of everything she knew. It was all too much; she was a music teacher for Christ's sake! She had no business being a superhero and should be planning her spring concert. All she wanted was for things to go back to normal, but normal didn't exist anymore now; she was in too deep with no clue how to get out.

Taking her time to look at all the faces in the room, she couldn't help but feel the pressure they were putting on her. Lyra let her eyes fall to the two gods next to her. It was strange that they were brothers when they looked and acted so differently. Funny, they reminded her so much of Ty and Andrew. The promise she made to Andrew came to her mind. If there was one thing that Lyra did right in her life, it was keeping her word. Andrew needed a friend and someone to look up to, but could she be that someone? Being equipped with unstable powers didn't sound like something to idolize. She was conflicted with doubt and guilt while everyone was anticipating her response.

"Can you promise to help me control it?" She spoke at last, staring at the Director pensively.

"I will do my best." Fury replied honestly.

She took a deep breath and sighed, rising from her chair.

"You want me to join a league of people with unnatural abilities, fight a threat that we have little hope to defeat, and pray that I won't harm anybody in the process. To that I say you're all insane," Lyra saw their faces fall in failure at her harsh words yet she continued, "but you're not alone either. I have been taught that if you don't stand for something, you'll fall for anything and I'm not ready to fall so easily. I accept your offer." She said confidently, nodding to Fury.

Lyra actually saw the smallest of a smirk play at Fury's mouth.

"Ms. Lane, you're up."

* * *

**So ends the longest chapter thus far. I know Lyra's being mean to Loki right now, but it won't last forever I promise. Anyone figured out Lyra's powers yet? If you think you have make sure to mention it in your review!**

**A million thanks,**

**ASTS **


	4. Sprouting Wings

**Hey there! Finished another chapter here for ya and broke the last record by another 2,000 words. Crazy right? I had fun writing this chapter especially because of all the ass-kicking, carnal touching, and adorable bits of fluff. So a lot of things take place, but most importantly Lyra fianlly dishes out her powers. I hope you enjoy and don't forget to review please! :D**

**Disclaimer: I do not own any Marvel characters or movie diologue. My OC is mine and you can't have it, so there.**

* * *

**Sprouting Wings**

Following the debriefing Lyra and her new team members plus Loki, went back to the top floor of the tower. Thankfully Steve was anxious to talk to her about their new mission as it distracted her from the tight space she was confined in. Tony eventually butted into the conversation, declaring that she should have a cool superhero name like the rest of them. She brushed him off, believing it was ridiculous to give her a name when they hadn't even seen her powers yet.

Fury had ordered that Natasha and Clint start her on hand-to-hand combat training tomorrow effective immediately. The director was also gracious enough to let her reveal her own powers since he had to go back to S.H.I.E.L.D.'S headquarters to take care of urgent business. Loki wasn't too excited about seeing her powers like the rest of her teammates as he was about getting extremely close to her when nobody was looking just to ignite her claustrophobia. It drove her crazy at how his skin would nearly touch hers and then he would retreat with the same shit-eating grin everytime. She almost wanted to tell Steve or Thor but reminded herself that she was a big girl who could fight her own battles and would play the game that the trickster had started.

Around suppertime, Tony declared that they would be eating shawarma for dinner. Supposedly the Avengers had eaten at a place selling them after the New York attack. Lyra didn't know what it was, but thought it sounded interesting. Apparently Thor thought it was "a delicious midguardian delicacy" and asked the man of iron for five of them. She watched in amusement as Thor hovered over Tony while he ordered the food to make sure he got the god of thunder's order correct.

After the food was ordered, everyone drifted off into groups to talk about the mission or nothing in particular. Lyra couldn't get enough of the view of the city and went to look out the great wall of glass. She crossed her arms by habit and admired the twinkling night-lights of New York's tallest buildings.

"A lovely sight."

Lyra's shoulders tensed and her eyes shut with frustration at the green-eyed troublemaker's stealth as he came up behind her.

"Didn't think you'd appreciate something you almost destroyed." She said flatly, not bothering to turn around.

"Oh I wasn't talking about the structures little bird," He whispered seductively in her ear, "I was talking about you."

His voice was velvety smooth and dangerous, sending chills down her spine. She noticed her skin had broken out into goosebumps and the hair on the back of her neck had shot straight up. He chuckled softly at her body's reaction and she couldn't help but feel pitiful as she was losing at this game badly. He was toying with her and if she didn't get her edge back soon she would end up fearing him forever.

"I would say I'm flattered, but I would be lying and we all know that's your department." She countered, turning to face him.

"Indeed it is. Tell me little bird, what is the relationship between you and the soldier?" He taunted, switching the subject.

"Why, jealous?" She shot back.

"Not in the slightest. I was only wondering if you noticed his pathetic fawning over your dull mortal self."

"You better watch yourself silvertongue or I might have to teach you another lesson. Oh and whatever transpires between Steve and I is none of your damn business." She seethed.

Lyra stormed off before he could say anything else and joined Thor, Tony, and Steve's group. Steve smiled brightly at her as she approached them and beckoned her over to sit next to him on one of the couches. Tony was apparently teaching the two about 21st century culture, his current lesson being about the "bro-fist". Steve was getting the gist of it, thinking it as a manlier version of a high-five. Thor was having more trouble with it, nearly smashing Tony's knuckles when he attempted it.

Lyra was snickering the whole time and almost forgot about the god of mischief she had left behind. Out of the corner of her eye she saw him sitting in a chair away from everyone else in front of the burning fireplace, deep in thought. She felt a momentary pang of pity for the god. In a weird way she couldn't help but see Andrew sitting in the chair looking into the fire, searching for something. Did Loki have any friends? Surely if he did, then he wouldn't have the past that he does now. He looked quite peaceful when he wasn't insulting or glaring at anyone, left alone to ponder.

Her moment of pity was ripped to shreds when he caught her looking at him and smiled at her flirtatiously. She glared at him with eyes narrowed and turned her attention back to the struggling god of thunder. Thor was about to try again at the manly bonding gesture when the elevator doors dinged and in came the delivery man with their food.

All else forgotten, the heroes seated themselves at the large dining table and passed around their hearty middle-eastern sandwiches. Everyone seemed to have their unique concoctions while Lyra had simply ordered a chicken shawarma with tomatoes and cucumber. It was a large sandwich, more than she could finish. She decided to cut it in half and save the rest for lunch tomorrow. As she sat back down, Tony began telling stories of the day they saved New York. The most thrilling one was when he told about how he had to force a nuclear bomb into a wormhole something called the tesseract had created. The ensemble fell deadly silent when the billionaire mentioned that he almost died falling back from space and most certainly would have if the Hulk hadn't caught him. Ever the serious one, Tony broke the solemn mood by saying he was woken up by the Hulk's mighty roar, which Lyra smiled at.

It was when Thor was wolfing down his third shawarma that Lyra noticed Loki was not seated with them. She looked around the whole room and saw he wasn't anywhere to be found. Now that she thought about it, she couldn't remember Tony even asking if the god of lies wanted anything to eat. It was one thing to mock Loki but it was leaning towards barbaric to let him starve. He probably went off to his room to get away from the happy assemble. Another flood of pity enveloped Lyra's emotions and she suddenly didn't feel hungry anymore. These mood swings were driving her crazy.

"Agent Lane," Tony broke her contemplating, "I think I speak for everyone when I say that we're ready to see these powers of yours."

He crumpled up his shawarma wrapper and stared at her ardently. The others looked at her too, hoping for dinner and a show. She smiled and shook her head with rejection.

"Not tonight Tony, tomorrow after combat training."

She rose out of her chair and started towards her room.

"Oh come on, you already showed your super strength!" He chided.

"Yes and that was only a taste, you'll get the full package tomorrow." She argued, ignoring his pouting face.

"Night everyone." She waved to her new friends, stalking off to her room.

"Night." They all answered back.

Climbing into bed, Lyra couldn't seem to get Loki off her mind. She had so many questions about the mysterious god but didn't have the patience to talk to him civilly. Not to mention the fact that he unnerved her everytime he gazed at her. Who was the man behind the mask of hatred and pride? The answer would continually haunt her now that he had managed to breach her thoughts.

She sat there for what felt like hours, staring at the ceiling. Everyone had gone off to bed by then, yet she was still wide awake. It shouldn't bother her one bit that he went to bed hungry, but she knew all too well what that was like and didn't wish it upon anyone. Slamming her fists down on the sheets in defeat, she pushed them off herself and moved from the bed. She paced back and forth, trying to talk herself out of what she was about to do. In a split decision she opened the door to her room and walked outside to the kitchen area before she could chicken out.

The slap of her bare feet against the cool tile echoed slightly in the large room. She opened the refrigerator door carefully and retrieved her half-sandwich. Opening the cabinets above her she took a plate, a drinking glass and a small tray. Lyra ripped the wrapping off the sandwich and placed it on the plate. She then went back to the refrigerator to get some apple juice. Filling the glass until it was about three-quarters full, she placed the beverage next to the plate on the tray and put the container back in the fridge. Lyra inspected her handiwork; it wasn't much but it was better than an empty stomach.

She maneuvered carefully down the hallway of bedrooms, tiptoeing the whole way. The two rooms at the end of the hallway belonged to one god or the other. Lyra panicked at first, wondering how she'd ever guess the right one. Luck was on her side when she noticed the doorknob of one of the rooms was crumpled. Thor must have grasped too firmly when he first opened his door. That left only one choice left and at that moment she didn't feel as brave as she did when she was sitting in the sanctity of her own room. Odd enough, she felt like Red Riding Hood coming to feed the hungry wolf.

Now came the hard part, how to get Loki to open his door without him knowing it was her who got him a midnight snack. She decided to sit the tray in front of his door and do an old-fashioned ding dong ditch. Taking a deep breath she knocked on the door firmly and then ran like hell back to her room without looking back. She closed her door as quickly and quietly as possible, then jumped into bed letting out the breath she had been holding.

At first all she could hear was her own pulse in her ears and the shakiness of her labored breath. She listened intently for any outside movement under the safety of her covers. When no noise came she flopped over on her stomach, puzzled as to why she felt like she was wallowing in failure. She lay there silently, slowly drifting off, when she thought she heard the soft click of a door closing as blackness took her.

* * *

The following morning Lyra didn't wake up as early as she usually did mainly because it was a Saturday, one of the two days a teacher is allowed to relax. A small voice in the back of her mind argued that it was also because of her fear of bumping into the god of lies after her random act of kindness. She shoved the thought aside and drug herself out of bed, walking over to the window to open the curtains. The sunshine flooded her room, illuminating the mirror on the vanity. She looked at her reflection and saw her hair had magically become a bird's nest overnight. Pieces were sticking out like overgrown weeds and it was all knotted in impossible tangles.

"_Perfect, I guess this is the gracious reward I get for feeding a delusional villain." _She thought sarcastically, glaring at her mirror image.

Lyra's rotten luck continued as three rasps on her door sounded. She had no time to fix the mess on top of her head, but tried to at least hide it as she opened her door slowly. It was Tony and his expression turned from casual to outward mirth.

"Morning princess, have you done something with your hair? It's just radiating wi-"

"What do you want Tony?" She asked dryly.

He looked down at two big boxes he was struggling to hold up in his arms.

"Coulson brought these over this morning, said he got some of your clothes and shoes so you won't have to borrow any more of Pepper's." He managed through strangled breaths.

She took the boxes off his hands and put them on the settee at the foot of her bed. Tony stood in her doorway and couldn't stop ogling the monster that had formed on top of her head.

"I hope Coulson put a weed whacker in there because that hair could stop traffic. I've never seen som-"

She put a hand over his mouth and shoved him out the door, slamming it in his face.

"That was rude." She heard him call through her door.

Lyra rolled her eyes and shook her head in exasperation. She went to the bathroom and took her brush from the drawer. The lights were still damaged from Thor using his hammer yesterday and she had to leave the door open to have a light source. Taking one last look at her reflection, she gritted her teeth and began to pull at the tangled mess of hair. It took a good thirty minutes of brushing but she finally got it back to its natural wavy state. Satisfied with winning the battle, she took a ponytail and a few bobby pins out of her toiletry bag to put her hair in a bun. She washed her face and brushed her teeth. Taking a shower wasn't going to happen if she was just going to get sweaty later and makeup hadn't been an option since the day Coulson found her.

She went back into her bedroom to find some workout clothes for her training session with Natasha and Clint. Coulson, or Phil as Lyra recently found out, was very space efficient in packing, most of her apparel fitting in the box. She wasn't sure if she should be impressed with his effective storage skills or concerned about the size of her wardrobe.

Picking through the clothes she found that most of the attire was more of her everyday fashion instead of the formal she wore for her job. She found her gray sports bra, a plain red t-shirt, and her knee-length black sweatpants. In the other box she found most of her shoes and socks. After putting on her ensemble and lacing up her running shoes, she was prepared to take on whatever the two S.H.I.E.L.D. agents had to throw at her.

Upon exiting her room she ran into Steve who was just getting back from the weight room. His blonde hair was drenched in sweat and his hands were wrapped in white bandages. She grinned at his disheveled form and he smiled right back at her.

"Morning Lyra." He greeted.

"Morning Steve, looks like you had quite the workout." She commented.

"Saving the world, one punching bag at a time." He joked.

She chuckled and moved a stray piece of hair behind her ear.

"You look pretty this morning." He complimented in a soft voice, blushing slightly.

She blushed too, scoffing. "You're too sweet, but just wait until Nat and Clint are done with me. I'll be a sweaty mess, I'm sure."

She kicked her self mentally for her word vomit and blushed even deeper.

"Not possible, you look great no matter what." He praised.

"Thanks Steve. I better go, they'll be looking for me."

She began walking away from him, a huge smile on her face.

"Hey Lyra," She turned around again, "I was wondering, um, would you- do you want to-"

He fumbled on his words but didn't get to finish when a door at the end of the hallway opened and out strutted Loki, an annoyed grimace on his expression. Lyra felt frozen again as the god stopped next to Steve and looked at her. She couldn't decipher what he was thinking, feeling like a deer in the headlights as he continually watched her with his burning green gaze. He then turned to Steve, switching to his aura of superiority.

"If you don't mind, I would appreciate it if you would take your courting of the desperate mortal somewhere else soldier." He disputed, looking at Steve with disgust.

Steve was taken aback at first by the god's harsh words and then furrowed his eyebrows in anger, taking a step closer to him.

"You don't have the right to talk about her like that. Do it again and I'll make you sorry." The captain threatened.

Lyra didn't even react to Loki's insult, considering it apart of her daily routine now. She was more concerned if he knew about her unspoken deed, but Steve's threat made her aware of the oncoming battle that about to take place.

Loki smiled cruelly, narrowing his eyes. "Oooh, what are you going to do if I don't soldier?"

Steve and Loki were now face to face, both with murderous scowls on their faces. Lyra saw Steve's hands clench tightly into fists, itching to brawl with the deity.

"You know she looks quite common at the moment, perhaps she would look better on her back instead." The trickster goaded.

Steve couldn't hold back his anger anymore and swung at the god of lies. Soaring across the distance between them with her speed, Lyra's hand smacked against Steve's knuckles as she stopped him from hitting the arrogant liar. Both men stared at her, shocked at her sudden closeness.

"He's not worth it Steve, now go on and get cleaned up. I'll be ok." She reasoned, letting go of his fist.

Steve looked at her warily, not moving an inch. She put a hand on his chest and pushed him with force towards his door, away from Loki. The pleading look in her eyes got Steve moving, but he never took his eyes off Loki even as he shut his door.

Lyra sighed with relief and turned to walk down the hallway towards the god with a frustrated expression. "Must you always cause trouble?"

"It was just a bit of fun, really." He feigned innocently.

"Next time have your fun at someone else's expense." She snapped, walking past him.

He pulled her back to him harshly, her face landing in the crook of his neck. She inhaled from the impact, surprised at how chilly his skin was. The faint scent of peppermint tickled her nose. She instantly pushed away from him, both hands on his chest. He held her tightly, one arm around her waist and his left hand clamping her jaw. His green eyes bore into hers hungrily as he leaned in closer to her.

"You have no authority to order me around little bird, I do what I want."

His breath grazed her face, voice like poisoned honey. Her fear melted into anger, her stubborn attitude taking over.

"I refuse to be your source of entertainment like some songbird trapped in a cage." She hissed.

He laughed. "Oh but you already are one my dear. You're mine now and I hold the key to your release. Would like to know the price of your freedom?"

He stroked her cheek and moved his hand further down her back. She huffed with indignation at his vulgar movements and pushed harder against his chest. She escaped his hold triumphantly and sped over to the elevator, pressing the button. The bell dinged, signaling its arrival. She rushed inside, punching the close button to escape the evil secductor. He too was also gifted with speed and swiftly entered the metal box with her as the doors closed shut, locking them in until they reached the training room floors below them.

She had lost all advantage and he had literally backed her into a corner. Her pulse beat rapidly like a hummingbird's wings and she felt the room shrink before her. The god of mischief scared her; there was no denying it now. The power of his words and his game of manipulation cut like a knife and Lyra was bound to lose since the beginning. The worst part of all was that he knew it all along, letting her believe she could outsmart him. The truth hit her hard, but in the midst of it all she found no regret in striking him, believing it was the only victory she had against him.

Lyra found it funny how she wasn't even the one to start this war with the trickster. There had to be a much deeper reason why he found it thrilling to pick on others. Under all the smoke and mirrors was something that truly troubled him, but it was impossible to break through a heart made of stone. She stumbled to rise back up to her full height, but did it. If there was one thing he couldn't take from her, it was her stubbornness.

"You like to give the appearance that you're above everyone else, but I see the truth underneath your blanket of lies Loki. In reality you're just a bully who was denied a single shred of happiness or love and prey on those who possess what you want so desperately."

His animosity boiled over and he charged at her, grasping her throat and slammed her against the metal wall, lifting her above the ground, her feet dangling helplessly. She choked, gasping for air and clinging to his arm.

"You dare claim to know the truth, but you have no inkling of who I am mortal!" He roared, teeth bared.

Lyra was starting to see black spots in her vision and was slowly losing consciousness. The life was being drained from her, but he still held his death grip.

"How can you speak of truth when you yourself are trapped in a lie? I know it was you who placed that ration of food at my door. You do not owe me a kindness, so why?"

He released her throat, her limp body falling to the floor with a thump. She sucked in a breath, coughing as air refilled her lungs. She breathed in and out, her vision slowly turning back to normal. Loki stared at her, still shaking with anger. She looked back at him, still recovering from his attack and unsure how to respond.

"TELL ME!" He screamed at her, eyes burning with impatience.

She flinched at his cry and slowly built up her voice.

"I- I- You hadn't eaten and I knew what it was like to go hungry. I couldn't sit by feeling guilty, so I shared with you." She rasped, feeling the bruises forming on her neck.

She watched him as he took her words in. His face was incomprehensible as the anger faded away and his predatory stance slumped into tiredness. It was like her words didn't compute with his expectations. She slowly stood up again and studied at how he fell into deep thinking. For the tiniest second she thought about putting a hand on his shoulder, but the elevator doors ringed their arrival.

She fled from him, scared of what would happen if she stayed. He didn't follow her out, to her relief, but she still felt rattled from the heated conversation with him. She half walked and half ran towards the set of double doors at the end of the long dimly lit hallway. Thor came out the doors, hammer in hand, as she reached them, smiling at her as she approached. His smile faded when he saw her muddled hair and the bruises along her jugular.

"Lady Lane, what has happened?"

"I- it was an accident." She uttered lamely, looking at the floor.

"Did my brother do this to you?" He demanded.

Lyra nodded, afraid to speak.

"I shall talk to him at once." He growled, raising Mjolnir.

"No Thor, wait. I provoked him, it was my fault." She exclaimed, grabbing his large forearm.

"Do not take the blame for him my friend, it will only cause you guilt." He dismissed, continuing to walk while dragging her behind him.

"There's more to it than you know, please let me explain." She begged.

He stopped and decided to listen to her reluctantly.

"Last night I noticed Loki didn't have anything to eat, so I snuck out of my room to the kitchen to share the rest of my food with him. I only fed him because I have starved before and didn't want him to experience that. I knocked on his door and left it there, fleeing before he could see me. Then this morning I was talking to Steve and he showed up causing trouble as usual. I stopped both of them from fighting, sending Steve to his room. He started teasing me and I tried to get away from him by running to the elevator, but he followed me. I couldn't take it anymore so I angered him when I claimed to see him for what he was. That's when he attacked me."

She ran out of breath and took a few minutes to get it back, gauging for Thor's reaction. He looked at her blankly and then put a hefty hand on her shoulder.

"You are brave to stand up to my brother and I believe the first one to show him any kindness after all that he has caused. I give you my deepest regrets for the harm he has done to you; it is partly my fault for the way he is." Thor explained, pain registering on his face.

"Your fault? I don't understand. Why is he the way that he is?" She asked the thunder god.

"It was not long ago that our father, king of Asgard, banished me to your world to be taught a lesson for my arrogance and stupidity for bringing war to our realm. During my absence my brother learned of a dark secret that revealed he was not of Asgardian heritage. Loki was adopted from an enemy race known as the frost giants. Their King abandoned him for his small size when our father defeated them in the Great War. It was too much for Loki to handle and he tried to destroy his own kind using the bifrost."

Lyra just stared and listened, tears forming in her eyes.

"When I destroyed the bridge, our father kept us from falling to our death. Loki thought his actions would finally make Odin proud of him, but they didn't. He let go of his lifeline and I watched him fall. My brother believed he lived in my shadow and was unloved by all around him all his life. Vengeance has poisoned him, but I never lose hope that he might one day rise from the darkness he has shrouded himself in. I still love my brother very much and it pleases me that someone other than myself feels pity for him."

Lyra wiped the wetness from her eyes. "I had no idea, I'm so sorry. That explains a lot."

"Do not be sorry, you are a very kind person and my brother has not had time to see it yet." He consoled, putting an arm around her shoulder in comfort.

"He's so unpredictable; I don't know how he'll react around me now." She admitted, feeling depleted of all energy.

"I shall look out for you from now on, now go train. We must prepare for battle."

He pushed her towards the gym and walked back to the elevators. She sighed and pushed the doors opened, the smell of stale sweat slamming into her nostrils. To her left were weight machines and treadmills of high-tech design and to her right was a blue-matted area where the two S.H.I.E.L.D. agents were currently sparring. It was hypnotizing to watch the two block and strike at each other, never missing a beat. It wasn't until Lyra cleared her throat that they stopped, realizing her presence.

"We thought you weren't going to show." Natasha deadpanned.

"I got sidetracked." She responded with the same enthusiasm.

The two still weren't on good terms and Lyra could tell Clint felt awkward coming between them. She saw the deadly archer's intense gaze fall to her neck; the small splotches on it a sickly blue now. They didn't call him Hawkeye for nothing. He didn't say anything, but knew something happened to her. Either Natasha didn't see them or she didn't care, but it was obvious she was just there to fight.

"Well then, let's put that strength to the test." The Black Window decreed, moving into the circle imprinted on the floor.

Clint moved out of the way to lean against the wall. Lyra entered the ring as well, taking on a fighting stance. Before she could even blink, Natasha came after her and gave a swift kick to the stomach, knocking her flat on her back. The air flew from Lyra's lungs and her throat stung from irritating the tender skin.

"Rule number one; always be the first to attack your opponent otherwise you're the one who has to recover from the strike and you'll be dead before you know it." Natasha warned her.

Lyra let out a growl of frustration at the red head and got back up, fists raised. She charged at her this time, ready to deliver a punch straight at her chin. Natasha dodged her attack and snatched her hand, twisting Lyra's arm around to her back. She let out a cry of pain and fell to her knees this time. The assassin released her arm and let her fall forward onto all fours.

"Rule number two; don't charge in anger, keep your composure and channel it instead."

Lyra had had enough of Natasha's dominance and stopped holding back. She felt her strength flow through her and returned to her fighting stance. Natasha started her assault again, throwing a punch to Lyra's lungs, but she was prepared this time and used her inhuman acceleration to catch the spy's fist. Natasha's eyes widened and Lyra returned with her own punch to her abdomen. The spy backtracked from the blow and Lyra took it as an opportunity to kick her in the chest, sending her flying to the ground as harsh as she had fallen.

"Rule number three; don't throw a punch at a superhuman and expect to get away with it." She remarked, looking at the red head roll over in pain.

Amazingly, Natasha tried to stand back up despite the immense agony she must have been feeling. Lyra decided she had gotten her revenge and went to help the assassin up. She offered her hand to the agent and she took it, much to Lyra's surprise.

"You okay?"

"Yeah, I'll be fine. My respect for you just grew Agent Lane; it's been awhile since someone's knocked me on my ass. Good job." She approved, giving her a tight smile.

Lyra was shocked, but nodded in acceptance. She knew both of them would have new bruises before dinner, but at least they were at peace now. Clint, silent the entire time, walked over to the two battered women.

"I think this whole ordeal has proved that Lyra needs a more durable opponent and that we're going to cut this short because I'm sure as hell not going to fight her." Clint finalized, looking at Natasha seriously with arms crossed.

She nodded in agreement and Lyra was relieved. The three walked out of the gym, down the hallway, and entered the elevator. Lyra had survived her first combat practice, but that was a cakewalk compared to the storm she would have to encounter when she would see Loki again. She didn't' know where they stood now and wasn't in a hurry to find out soon. Right now she had to focus on the best way to reveal her powers, as everyone had waited long enough. If she could control her strength like she had with Nat, then maybe there was hope for her after all.

* * *

Upon entering back into the penthouse, Lyra saw that Tony and Bruce were back from spending all day in the lab, working on new prototype weapons that could help them against the impending attack. Steve and Thor were sitting on the barstools in front of the kitchen island, munching on some chips. She greeted them all, wincing when she lifted her arm to wave at them.

"Wow princess, you look like crap." Tony stated bluntly.

"Love you too Tony." She replied.

"As bad as she looks Stark, she successfully took down Natasha on her third try." Clint chimed in, coming to her defense.

All of them raised their eyebrows, impressed with the teacher's spunk.

"A true warrior, you are a valuable asset to our team Lady Lane." Thor proclaimed, walking over to her and slapping her on the back.

It took all of Lyra's strength not to cry out at the god's brutal affection, but she managed.

"Thanks Thor." She smiled, taking a seat on one of the couches.

Bruce walked up to her timidly, taking off his glasses.

"I can look at some of those injuries if you think they're serious." He offered, standing in front of her awkwardly.

"It's okay Dr. Banner, I'll get through this alive." She confirmed, smiling at his concern.

"Are you sure? Those lacerations on your neck look pretty nasty." He stated, moving closer to get a better look at them.

Lyra's hand went protectively to her throat and she shook her head.

"No, I'm fine doc. I just trained a little too hard today, that's all." She reassured him.

He accepted her opinion and left her alone to discuss more business with Tony. Steve was listening to Bruce's diagnosis of the blue-eyed beauty and abandoned the chip bowl to sit with her. She saw the captain advance towards her with the utmost sentiment in his baby blue eyes. He sat next to her and she shifted to face him. Without a word spoken between them, he caressed her neck gently, furrowing his eyebrows at the now dark purple spots. She took his hand away from her wounds and patted it with sympathy.

"It's okay Steve," She spoke softly, "I heal faster than normal humans. They should be gone by tomorrow."

"They shouldn't be there at all. You look like a giraffe." He argued, playing with her fingers.

"Hey now, who was it that said I look good no matter what?" She debated playfully.

"Okay you got me, just be careful." Steve said sternly, squeezing her hand.

"Yes captain." She mock saluted, smiling at him.

Lyra rose from her seat, excusing herself to go clean up. She entered her room and shut the door, sliding against it all the way down to the floor. She looked around the room, thinking about the events from the day. Today was not the best and she feared that things were going to get a whole lot worse before they got better. She didn't want to dwell on the bad anymore and slowly got up to go take a soothing shower.

The jets of water streamed down her body and she began to lather her hair with shampoo. The strain of her muscles loosened and she finally relaxed against the flow of constant warm water. After conditioning and shaving, she stepped out of the shower. The steam collected on the cool mirror, fogging up the reflection. She wrapped the fluffy white towel around her torso and took a smaller one to squeeze the water out of her hair. Turning on the blow dryer, she turned her hair back into its curvy black waves.

She searched through her box of clothes and picked out a pair of jean shorts with a blue and black striped top. Digging deeper she found a black bra and a new pair of underwear. Completely putting on her outfit, she stepped out into the hallway trying not to look at the door at the end. Entering the living room she smelled Italian food and her stomach growled, not having eaten breakfast or lunch. Tony had ordered take out again and was serving everybody their orders. He looked up from the bag of breadsticks he was holding upon hearing her footsteps and motioned her over to the kitchen.

"Hey princess, decided to order you fettuccine alfredo if that's alright."

He handed her an aluminum container of steaming food and two breadsticks.

"Yeah that's fine, thanks Tony. Listen, I want to talk about my powers."

He perked up immediately, grinning with satisfaction.

"You got it, should I go set up a test room?"

She shook her head. "No, I'm going to do it here and now. Just get everyone gathered."

"You're not going to destroy my tower are you?" He asked suspiciously.

"No Tony, I'm not going to hurt your baby now get everyone's attention." She demanded.

He nodded and clapped his hands together loudly. "Lady and Gentlemen step right up, don't be shy, and witness the amazing powers of the newest Avenger! Be amazed, be frightened, but most of all enjoy the show!"

He flailed his arms towards Lyra who face palmed from embarrassment.

"Tony I said to get their attention, not sell me as a circus act." She grumbled.

"Smile princess, it sells tickets." He mocked, taking a seat at the dining room table.

All the other Avengers and, to her abrupt heart rate increase, Loki were seated at the table, awaiting her demonstration. She took in a deep breath and let it out slowly. Lyra walked around the island and opened the cabinet for a wineglass. She retrieved the glass and set it on the island in front of her. The silence was deafening and she squeezed her hands into fists, digging her fingernails into her palm. She looked at the group a few feet away.

"You're going to want to close your ears." She warned them.

Everybody did as she said and watched her curiously. She leveled her head with the wineglass and sucked in a breath. Pursing her lips, she let out a high pitched whistle. The sound waves hit the glass, shattering it into pieces. That familiar vibrating noise echoed throughout the room and bounded off everyone's chests. Lyra stopped the noise by closing her mouth. She breathed in and out again, testing her body's reaction. It was unbelievable; she used her powers without hurting anyone. She smiled stupidly to herself, doing a victory dance inside her head. It felt good to finally use them after all these years.

"Amazing, she has the ability to manipulate sonic waves to any frequency with just the use of her vocal chords." Bruce spoke first, removing his glasses with fascination.

"That's…handy." Tony said uneasily, remembering his last run in with sonic waves.

"Yeah, but that's not all. Hang on a sec." She said quickly, opening a drawer and getting a large metal spoon.

"Ear muffs on." She commanded.

Once again they shielded their ears and Lyra pursed her lips again. She whistled at a higher pitch this time and like magic the spoon wilted before them like a dead flower.

Clamping her mouth shut, everyone released their hold on their ears. The spoon was now bent at an awkward shape and glass littered the island. She turned to them, shrugging her shoulders to tell them the show was over.

"This is fantastic. If that's what a whistle can do, imagine what the raw power of her scream could accomplish." Bruce gushed, rising from his seat and picking up the warped spoon.

"I could imagine that because I've done it doctor. I've had to take a lot of tranquility classes to keep me from raising my voice. That kind of power is unstable and catastrophic at best." She cautioned him.

"If we were to explore your boundaries and run some tests, we could change that. Would you be open to experimentation?" Bruce questioned, pushing his glasses up his nose.

"As long as you don't cut my throat open Dr. Banner, I trust you." She agreed.

"Wait; if your vocal chords can produce high frequency sounds, then you must be one hell of a singer right?" Clint asked.

Lyra's face looked like she had been caught stealing out of the cookie jar. "Um, yeah you're right."

"How about a song?" Tony asked eagerly, wanting to hear her singing voice.

"No way, singing is a big risk. I don't sing." She said hastily, crossing her arms.

"You're a music teacher and you don't sing. In what world does that logic make sense?" Tony remarked.

"In my world, so drop it Tony." She retorted.

"Actually, singing would be a good therapeutic approach to this. It has controlled pitches and ranges that you can easily execute without danger." Bruce interjected.

Lyra had never thought about it like that before and couldn't help but come to an agreement with the doctor's reasoning.

"Okay Dr. Banner I'll do it, but let's take this in baby steps." She advised.

"Great, I'll compile a list of songs based on low ranges to high ranges." He said excitedly, taking his food with him to the elevator to get to the lab.

He was gone in a flash and Lyra couldn't help but think she'd created another monster.

"Lady Lane, you have a most wonderful gift. I cannot wait to hear more of your lyrical voice!" Thor complimented from the table with a mouth full of spaghetti.

"Thank you Thor, I'm su-"

"Oh my god, I know what we're going to call you now!" Tony shouted, butting in on Lyra's conversations for the billionth time.

Lyra sighed and put her hands on her hips. "What is your brilliant name Tony?"

"You can sing, have a sonic voice, your favorite color is obviously blue, and you can be very aggressive. You will be called Bluejay." He said proudly, taking in her form.

"Genius Tony, one of your best thoughts yet." Lyra said sarcastically, rolling her eyes.

"I like it." Steve spoke up.

"As do I Lady Lane." Thor agreed.

Clint and Natasha nodded in agreement as well. Tony looked at Clint for a moment, and then a devious smile crept upon his face.

"Hey Hawkeye, looks like we have another bird in the nest. You might have to take her under your wing." Tony clowned.

"Tony zip your lips before I blow up your head with my sonic scream." Lyra growled menacingly.

"You could call it the it the perfect murder, death by bird brains." Tony chortled.

And so began the many corny jokes of Lyra's new identity.

* * *

**Whew. That was a lot, I know. I'm surprised no one's complained about Steve and Lyra's fluffy moments. Even while I was writing this, I was thinking there needs to be less Steve and more Loki! XD Anywho, Lyra and Loki will have a whole chapter of fluffy/romantic moments on the next one. FYI: I was listening to Flawed Design by Stabilo when I wrote the convo between Lyra and Thor. So tragic. D':**

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**Thanks,**

**ASTS**


	5. It's Complicated Pt I

**Here's another one for ya. More Lyra and Loki, plus Thor too. :D This chapter was intentionally made for developing Lyra and Loki's relationship, but I just couldn't stop writing and it eneded up being split into two parts. Hope you like it, please review!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything Marvel related, Mercedes-Benz, movie diologue, or song lyrics. My OC's are all I have.**

* * *

**It's Complicated Pt. I**

When Sunday morning rolled around, Lyra was awakened by the sudden piercing sound of a beeping smoke alarm. Not thinking twice about a possible inferno outside her door, she ran into the living room. A cloud of smoke enveloped her and choked her airway. With eyes watering, she searched for the source and saw that someone had left something burning in the toaster. She quickly looked under the kitchen sink and found the red fire extinguisher. Ripping the pin and aiming the nozzle, she squeezed the handle letting the foam spew onto the smoking machine. It appeared to be working when suddenly sparks violently blasted from the toaster, singing her uncovered skin and burning tiny holes in her pajamas.

She dropped the extinguisher from the pain of her burns and screamed despite her attempts to control it. Her shriek shattered all feeble glass in the room as she gripped her burnt skin. It only lasted ten seconds, but felt like an eternity when all she could hear was that bird like cry. She smacked a hand to her mouth, trying to silence the chaos she was creating.

The sound waves stopped and she removed her hand, taking shuddering breaths as silent tears fell down her face. Glass littered the floor; all of Tony's alcohol lay spilt in a mixed puddle, the flat screen was cracked beyond repair, and the smoke detector no longer beeped from being shorted out. The only thing that lasted through her attack was the giant glass wall. A slight crack was jutting out the far right corner, the portion of the wall closest to her vocal attack.

She was shaking now and slowly sunk down against the refrigerator to the floor. She heard doors slam open and footsteps pound down the hallway. Thor came into view, looking around frantically for any intrusion with his hammer raised. Loki came up beside him, taking in the damage to the still smoking penthouse with a small dagger in his left hand. The glass crunched beneath their feet as they stepped further into the room. The toaster abruptly expelled its black contents with a pop, scaring Lyra into kicking the empty extinguisher. The two gods snapped their heads at the noise, weapons raised.

"Lady Lane!" Thor exclaimed, looking down at the shaking girl on the ground.

He knelt down beside her and looked into her eyes.

"Who has done this to you? What has happened?" He asked angrily.

"It was me, I did it. I heard the smoke detector go off and ran in here to see the toaster was on fire. I used the extinguisher to put it out, but in the process was burnt by the sparks from electrocuting it. That's when I screamed and all of this happened." She gestured with a lazy hand, then remained silent.

"I am truly sorry Lady Lane, this is all my fault."

He observed the small cuts on her face from the glass and streaks of raw skin on her arms from the burns. The thunder god sighed and heaved her up off the floor bridal style, taking her over to one of the couches. He set her down gently and turned to Loki who watched the whole ordeal from the same spot he stood when he entered.

"Brother, watch her while I fetch the healing stones." He ordered sternly, disappearing into the hallway.

Lyra couldn't see the god of lies face, but she heard him approach her from behind the couch. He slowly walked into her line of vision, her eyes meeting his. She saw his eyes trail down to the red streaks on her arms, now bleeding slightly from the intense heat she took. She shrunk back into the couch, not forgetting what happened the last time that he had touched her.

Loki stared into her scared blue eyes with what looked like the tiniest bit of regret, but Lyra knew what a talented liar he was so she wasn't entirely sure about his sincerity. How were supposed to separate fact from fiction with someone like him? Lyra had thought knew how after dealing day after day with children who lied constantly about things, but lately her skills had been on the fritz. These were dangerous waters to test, but if she didn't talk to him it would be an awkward silence until Thor returned.

"Hi." She whispered, looking into his evergreen gaze.

"Hello." He replied back in his smooth voice.

"Where is everyone else?"

"Stark and Banner went to show their new weapons to Fury. The soldier and the assassins went along also as well to exercise their abilities in a larger facility. It is just Thor and I left."

"Oh."

More silence followed and she shifted her eyes to her mauled arms. Her skin was screaming, but her mind was swimming with other things. Did he know she knew about the relationship with his brother? What did he think of all this? Why was he on her mind so much?

"Are you in pain?"

She watched him frown at himself, probably thinking it was a stupid question to ask. It was an unusual occurrence for him and she slightly smiled at his concern; the first outward positive reaction she had since she met him.

"You are so calm. That is why I asked." He said, justifying the snag in his usually cold personality.

She shrugged her shoulders in nonchalance.

"Years of practice. Banner isn't the only one who worries about self control."

"Your demonstration last night was impressive but dismal compared to today." He commented dryly, attempting to engage in conversation.

"Well I didn't plan on playing the role of firefighter, but look where we are. Should I even ask how the toaster caught on fire?" She stared at him accusingly.

"Thor thought it would be courteous to make a breakfast of 'popped tarts'?"

He said the words slowly, as they were foreign to him. Despite the horrors Lyra had just experienced and created, she did not expect that answer. Blinking a few times, she couldn't help but burst into fits of laughter. It was cut short when her convulsing movements irritated her wounds, making her hiss in agony.

Loki stepped closer, unsure how to comfort her and had the appearance of a helpless child. After a few minutes, her skin slowly started to throb at a more comfortable level and she reminded herself not to laugh out loud again any time soon.

"Have I said something humorous?"

"Yeah, the thought of Thor trying to cook something and the irony that this happened all because of a breakfast pastry." She snickered.

"You are not angry at him, after all the pain he has caused you?" He asked in disbelieving anger.

His eyebrows furrowed in confusion and disdain at how Thor wasn't going to be yelled at. Lyra looked at him like the answer was obvious, bringing her eyebrows together.

"No, it wasn't his intention to hurt me. He only wanted to do something nice and that unfortunately didn't end well for anyone. I also don't like to hold grudges; they're a waste of my time." She appeased.

Loki snorted in disgust. "Typical. When the mighty Thor does something wrong, he still remains untarnished."

Thor walked back into the room at that moment, holding a tiny red velvet bag in his hand. He noted the anger radiating off of Loki at his presence, but ignored him to get on to the more important task. The thunder god opened the sack and shook out a few odd looking rocks. Lyra didn't see how rocks would help her but kept her mouth shut.

"I'll heal her, go and fetch something to clean up the glass." Loki spoke up, facing his brother.

Lyra was shocked at Loki's sudden urge to care for her, but didn't object if it could mean a truce between them. Thor looked at her for her consent and she nodded.

"It's okay. Dummy is down in the lab, he'll be able to help you clean up."

He looked at her like she'd spoken a foreign language.

"He's a robot." She explained.

The god didn't look enlightened but nodded anyway and gave the stones to Loki. He walked into the elevator, withdrawing from sight.

Lyra couldn't help but feel on edge now that Loki held the cure to her pain. She looked at him expectantly as he strolled over to her.

"You shouldn't treat your brother so harshly." She scolded, continuing their interrupted conversation.

"Who are you to tell me right from wrong mortal? I think you ought to show a little more respect for the one who's supposed to heal you." He spit back, gripping the stones tightly.

There they were again, building up to another blow out. He was pacing back and forth now, brewing in his resentment at her and Thor.

"You're right, I don't have authority in matters that don't pertain to me, but I'm just trying to understand. He doesn't hold anything against you or care about how different you are yet you hate him all the same."

His head snapped to her, eyes narrowed. Lyra realized she just hinted that she knew about his real heritage and closed her mouth in embarrassment.

"It seems he's told you enough of our relationship and myself already. The only thing I regret is that you don't know the face of the monster underneath the mask." He said maliciously, gesturing to his face.

"I think I got a pretty good glimpse of it in the elevator." She said softly, looking at the ground with wide eyes from the memory.

It was out in the open now and Lyra swallowed back a shudder. Loki's rage diffused, his anger pulled out from under him like a rug at the sight of the broken woman.

"Look, I don't want another argument, I'm smart enough to know where it'll end now and I won't pester you about it anymore. Now are you going to help me or not?" She asked tiredly, changing the subject.

He stared at her for a moment and then knelt in front of her. He took one of her sore arms in his free hand and she did not miss the icy feel it gave her just like his neck did. She gasped a little at the alarming temperature and was surprised how he was this cold. Truthfully it felt really nice against the heat from her burns.

"I know it's not pleasant, but if you move I can't treat you." He growled, taking one of the stones in his other hand and began crushing it.

"No, it's not that. It feels nice, numbs the pain." She admitted, blushing slightly.

His eyes searched hers for a moment, analyzing her. She stared right back, hoping to decipher what he was thinking. He remained silent, and then focused his attention on the stone again, bringing it over her injury. His strength ground the rock into a fine powder as Lyra watched, transfixed how it fell unto her arm like pixie dust. It healed her skin in seconds and there was no trace of a scar remaining.

"Wow. That's amazing!" She exclaimed, examining her right arm in shock.

"Does your race not have healing aids?" He asked, amused at her predictable reaction.

"Nothing that works that fast." She replied, turning her arm in the light.

He smiled and did the same with the other arm. With the little dust left he smoothed it across the small cuts on her face, healing them as well. Her eyes widened at his abrupt action and her heart fluttered. He brushed his hands off and took in her restored frame. He was about to stand again, when she put a hand on his shoulder to stop him.

"Thank you Loki." She said sincerely, smiling and placing a hand on his chilled cheek.

He didn't expect any show of gratitude and it stunned him, but only for a moment.

"You're welcome little bird." He said at last, smiling.

He rose up from the ground and sat beside her on the couch. He looked genuinely happy in that moment. Lyra could see that he enjoyed being appreciated and maybe that's all he really needed. They had finally reached a point of civility and that's all she could ask for, though one thing still bugged her.

"Loki, why did you volunteer to help me?" She shifted to face him.

"My little bird had broken wings, I couldn't have that." He teased, smiling at her again with his perfect teeth.

She smirked back at him. "It's not about how high a bird flies, but the song it sings."

He chuckled. "And quite a song you carry my dear."

The elevator bell rang and they both looked to see a robot file out with Thor behind it. Dummy made a few whirring sounds, rotating the clamp he used to pick things up.

"Hey Dummy! Over here please." Lyra called out to the cute robot.

He rolled over to her, waiting her command. He was just too adorable, her own personal R2-D2.

"As you can see we made a quite a mess, do you think you could vacuum up the glass please?" She asked sweetly.

The robot whirred again and backed away from her a few feet. A compartment opened towards the middle of his body and a vacuum nozzle shot from it, lowering itself to the ground and began cleaning the glass.

Lyra looked from Thor to Loki, smiling at their bewildered faces.

"Amazing isn't he?" She commented as he moved over to the dining table.

Out of the corner of her eye she saw Loki grimace, jealous of the attention the robot was getting.

"He is a fascinating creature, but he tried to grab my trousers." Thor declared.

She snapped her head in the thunder god's direction. "He what?"

"He attempted to take the smooth rectangle that Sir Stark gave to me," Thor reached into a slit in his pants pulling out a shiny piece of plastic, "he said to give it to you."

He handed what looked to be Tony's debit card to her. Lyra's brow creased in confusion.

"Um, what did Tony want me to do with this exactly?"

"He requested that you take my brother and I to the mall of shopping, so we may have midgardian clothes to wear."

Tony expected her to care for two Norse gods who hadn't a single idea of Earth culture? Well it sort of made sense that he would make her do it, since she was a teacher after all. They were so naïve to this world; they might as well be considered children. She wanted to say no, but the thought of being able to teach again brought back the warm feeling of the good old days when she was ignorant to superheroes, gods, and secret government agencies. It was too good to pass up.

"Alright, I'll take you. Just give me a minute to call Tony about the mess and I'll get ready."

She stood and walked along the clean pathway Dummy had made to the center of the room, looking up at the ceiling.

"Jarvis?" She called out, hoping she didn't break the butler.

"Yes Ms. Lane?"

"Oh good, I thought I might have destroyed you when I had my episode."

"Not at all, Mr. Stark sees that there is always a back up power supply in case of any emergency."

"Good, could you call Tony for me please? I've got a damage report."

"Very well miss."

The dialing tone rang for a few minutes with no answer.

"I'm sorry Ms. Lane; he doesn't seem to be answering. Would you like to leave a message?"

"_This should be fun."_ Lyra thought to herself.

"Yes I will."

The familiar beeping noise of Tony's answering machine came overhead.

"_This is Tony Stark, genius, billionaire, playboy, and philanthropist. Leave your name and number at the beep and I'll probably never get back to you."_

Classic Tony.

The beeping noise started again and Lyra told everything that had happened in a fake sweet voice.

"Tony, it's Lyra. Thanks for dropping the bomb that I'm responsible for two gods today. I just wanted to tell that you since your absence, your toaster exploded, I was burned severely, screamed at the top of my lungs and broke basically everything glass in the penthouse. Oh and all you liquor is destroyed and pooled together on the floor. Have a nice time with your toys. Bye!"

She heard the click of the telephone and smiled with satisfaction.

"Well said Ms. Lane, I dare say he'll be contacting you in no time." Jarvis praised.

"Thanks Jarvis. Do you know where Tony keeps his car keys?"

"In the garage miss, do you wish for the Tesla or perhaps the Audi?"

She looked at the two gods sitting on the couch, gazing around the room and waiting to be called on.

"Does Tony own any four door cars? Something with a little more room?"

"There is the Mercedes."

"Perfect. We'll take that."

"Very well, I shall notify the valet and they will bring it to the front of the tower."

"Thank you Jarvis."

Lyra turned and clapped her hands together, gaining the attention of the silent gods.

"Okay boys, here's the game plan. I'm going to go get ready while both of you _don't_ touch anything. We'll go to the mall to get you some clothes, grab a bite to eat, and come back. Understood?"

The two nodded their head in affirmation and she walked off to her room.

She gladly discarded her ruined pajamas and walked over to her dresser. Searching around in those boxes for clothes and shoes was getting messy so she had moved everything into the closet. She picked out a black and white half-sleeve top and a black skirt.

After putting on her clothes and taking care of her personal hygiene, she stepped into her black wedge heels. Cleaning out the box she had found her purse and her phone buried deep down in it. Looking at her phone she had fifteen missed calls. Most of the calls were from the school, but Coulson had reassured her that they'd taken care of a substitute and lesson plans.

Lyra put Stark's debit card in her wallet and put it back in her purse. She opened the door to her room and walked out with her head down, scrolling on her phone to find the nearest mall.

"Okay guys, it says the nearest mall is Manhat-"

She was reading aloud, but stopped talking when she saw Loki was staring at her intently.

"What? Is my hair sticking out? It does that sometimes." She said worriedly, patting the top of her head.

"No, I was merely enjoying the view."

He strutted over to her, face to face with her now that she had her heels on. He had an arrogant smirk on his face and placed the back of his hand on her cheek, caressing it.

"Okay Casanova, let's leave before the mall closes."

Cheeks flushed, she took his hand and placed it at his side, rejecting the small part of her wanting to put it back on her face.

"Such a shy little bird." He purred, walking behind her to the elevator.

"Not shy, just cautious." She pushed the button for the doors, feeling her spine tingle from that velvet voice.

"Where's Thor?" She cut him off before he could speak, searching for the blonde mountain.

"He took that idiotic contraption back down to the lab and said he would meet us in the lobby." Loki said, annoyed at the mention of his brother and led them into the elevator.

"Okay then. The car should be waiting down stairs for us. I hope traffic won't be bad." She rambled to herself, putting her phone in her purse.

"Where is it that we're going exactly?"

"Oh it's the uh-um- let me get my phone out again." She stuttered, digging in her purse.

She picked up the rectangular device and pressed the home button to turn it on. The screen flashed to life and showed her their destination.

"It's the Manhattan Men's Ware store. They have everything. Suits, dress shirts, ties, you name it. It's the most prestigious and expensive place to go to for men's clothing. Here, they have some pictures uploaded on the malls website."

She handed her phone to the god and selected the pictures so they would show up full screen. Loki was intrigued with the electronic device and she showed him how to switch between pictures. She was about to teach him how to use the camera when her phone buzzed. Alarmed, he dropped the device and let it clatter to the floor.

Lyra giggled at the god's overreaction and picked it up. "Calm down, I've just got a text message."

She tapped the screen and saw it was a message from Tony. How he got her cell phone number she'll never know but she read the message anyway.

_**From: Unknown**_

_**Received: Sun Mar 16 11:27 a.m.**_

"_**Are you serious?!**_

_**I leave the tower**_

_**for one day and suddenly**_

_**I get a voicemail about**_

_**how you've trashed my**_

_**penthouse. Was smashing**_

_**all of my booze some twisted**_

_**form of an intervention?**_

_**And who the hell bombed my toaster?"**_

Loki peeked over her shoulder to see what a text message was. She felt him get closer, green eyes swirling with curiosity.

"It's an electronic message sent by satellite to my phone and apparently Tony isn't happy about the voicemail I left him."

She showed him the message and he smirked. "Quite the trouble maker aren't we?"

"I believe that's your job description lie-smith." She jested, typing a reply to Tony.

"You are correct, but you are not as innocent as you like to think little bird." He retorted, eyes roving over the elevator.

"What are you suggesting?" She asked suspiciously.

"I have not forgotten your late night deed."

He looked at her, eyes unreadable. She frowned at his second attempt to find some dirty scheme behind her actions.

"Loki, I wasn't told to bring you food. I did it out of good will and if somebody had caught me in the act, I still would have brought it to you. You don't need to keep testing my honesty."

She took his hand in hers and gave a gentle squeeze. He observed their entwined hands for a minute, and then raised them up, placing a chaste kiss on hers.

"You are the first person in this realm who hasn't tuned me away. Why? Why did you agree to all of this?"

His face was contorted with pain at the question and it reached into his emerald orbs.

"Well, in a way it was… you." She confessed.

He stared at her, eyes full of searching and need, knowing there was more. He remained silent, so she went on.

"You reminded me of someone, a student of mine. He's a very sweet boy who doesn't have very much luck making friends and I made a promise to be his. I want to keep my word, but I can't do that if there's some galactic alien warlord bent on my planet's destruction."

They gazed at each other for a while, green eyes studying blue. She hinted that she cared for him and could see that he was slowly assessing that, letting it all sink in.

"You continue to surprise me little bird." He sliced the silence, breaking into a grin.

"Stick around; you might get to see more of them." She returned his smile.

The doors opened and they had arrived at the lobby. When the two stepped out, Lyra saw Thor standing awkwardly in the center of the room, biceps crossed. It wouldn't have been so weird if he didn't have his Asgardian armor on still, but Lyra had no spare clothes for him or Loki. Stark's employees at the front desk were staring at the trio with confused expressions, but Lyra ignored them as her and Loki approached Thor.

"Ready to go?" She asked the thunder god.

"Yes, I am thrilled to be visiting a midgardian marketplace." The god replied happily.

"This is so exciting for both of you. Your very first shopping trip! I should take a picture."

The two brothers looked at each other, uncertain what she talking about. Lyra held down the camera button on her phone and held it up to the two dumbfounded gods.

"Smile!" She ordered.

Thor, remembering undertaking this ritual with Darcy, pulled Loki closer and cheesed proudly. Loki was unprepared for the sudden smother of layered muscle latching onto him and scowled. The camera clicked and Lyra looked at her results. Thor was grinning like an idiot and Loki had an "I'll kill you" face which wasn't really an over exaggeration. She couldn't help but giggle at the photo and showed it to them.

"This is fantastic. Look brother, it has captured our facial expressions!" Thor exclaimed, offering the device.

"Can we go now please?" Loki asked malevolently, sneering at Thor's mention of relation.

Thor handed Lyra back her phone with a disappointed frown and she smiled at him sadly. Loki walked on ahead of them, brooding in his thoughts. They followed him through the double doors and outside to the bustling city sidewalk. People were already staring at them and Lyra figured she better hustle them into the car before a crowd formed.

She caught up to Loki and tapped on his shoulder. He turned around with a sour expression and stared her down with those piercing emerald eyes. She held up her phone to him with a hopeful smile.

"Would you do me the honor of being my navigator?"

"Is the precious Thor too busy?" He remarked.

"No, but as the navigator it takes a lot responsibility that I think only you can handle, plus you get the privilege of sitting next to me." She proposed.

"You make an enticing offer little bird, I accept, but on one condition." He smirked, and took her phone.

Her triumphant look changed to wariness at his request.

"What's that?"

"A favor that I will call upon at any moment of my choosing."

He was up to no good again, those eyes glittering with mischief. Lyra had been outwitted and had no choice but to give in.

"Deal. Now let's go, people are starting to gather."

She walked up to the valet and took the keys from him, flashing a friendly smile. The young man brightened at the woman's pretty features and stared at her as she moved to the driver's door. Lyra unlocked the doors and opened her own. She looked up to see Thor slide into the backseat but Loki was talking to the valet. That couldn't be a good sign. She was about to intervene when the valet quickly ran away with a terrified look on his face. Loki turned and walked over to the Mercedes appearing very pleased.

Lyra entered the car with and put on her seatbelt as he opened his door and sat down in the passenger seat. Thor had also seen Loki's exchange with the boy and leaned forward in his seat.

"Brother, what did you say to that young servant?" Thor demanded.

"I merely pointed out that he should watch where his eyes wander when in the presence of a woman or else there could be dire consequences." The god responded innocently.

"Loki, I was quite aware of where he looking even with my back turned. He's a hormonal teenager, that's what they do." She shoved the keys into the ignition, agitated with his behavior.

"Not to you, I won't allow it." Loki argued, tightening his grip on her mobile.

Thor looked back forth between the two, intrigued by his adopted brother's sudden interest in Lyra's well being.

"I am happy that you defended my honor, but now I need you to touch the map icon so we can go."

He did as she said and her phone began dictating where to go.

"Everyone buckle up, safety first." She commanded.

The gawked at her blankly, not knowing what she meant.

"The straps to your right, pull them and insert the metal part into the bow with the slit sticking out of your seat on your left." She explained.

It took a few tries but Loki and Thor finally got the harness to click securely. Lyra then pulled out into the sea of cars and occasional bicyclists. She looked in the rear-view mirror to see Thor practically pressed against the glass, eager to see the city pass before him. She glanced over at Loki who was also looking outside with quiet interest. Turning down one-way streets, they eventually met a stoplight and she pressed her foot on the brakes.

"How about some music?" She asked them.

"You are going to sing for us?" Thor turned his attention to her.

"No, but I think the radio will."

She pushed the on button and switched it to a local station, turning the volume up.

_So tell me what you want to hear  
Something that will light those ears  
Sick of all the insincere  
So I'm gonna give all my secrets away  
_

_This time, don't need another perfect lie  
Don't care if critics ever jump in line  
I'm gonna give all my secrets away  
All my secrets away, all my secrets away_

The song ended and commercials started blaring. She turned down the sound for until the music returned.

"You have musical voices trapped in a box?" Thor questioned.

"In a way, the music is transferred by a satellite and receive it through an antenna. People put radios in automobiles so you could enjoy music without having actual people present to sing to you. It's nice to have during car rides."

"I would much rather hear your singing little bird." Loki chimed in.

Lyra's cheeks turned a light pink. "I'll be putting it off for as long as I can."

"You'll have to do it sooner or later." He told her with a devious smile.

"I choose later then."

She turned the radio back up, ending the pressured discussion.

_He is a hustler, he's no good at all_

_He is a loser, he's a bum, bum, bum, bum_

_He lies, he bluffs, he's unreliable_

Lyra looked down at the radio with creased brows then snapped her head back to the road, ignoring the coincidence.

_He is a bad boy with a tainted heart_

_And even I know this ain't smart_

She didn't dare look at Loki, feeling his eyes on her. Her face was slowly turning redder and she wanted nothing more than to turn the music off, but seeing Thor in the back enjoying the song stopped her.

_All reasons aside_

_I just can't deny_

_I love the guy_

Her phone announced that they had arrived at their destination and Lyra was quick to shut the music off for good.

"We're here, yay. I'll just park at the meter here and we'll go inside." She babbled, pulling the car over and yanking the keys out.

Loki smirked at her discomfort and Thor was trying to figure out what he missed. The group exited the vehicle and Lyra fed the meter for four hours, plenty of time to get what they came for.

People were filing in and out of the large complex with bags of different items. Distracted by Loki giving her phone back to her, she didn't see Thor walk right out into the busy street.

"Thor wait!" She yelled.

The god turned to face here when a cab came screeching to a halt inches before him, honking its loud horn in anger.

Lyra rushed up to him with Loki behind her. "Are you crazy? You could've gotten killed!"

"It would take a lot more than that to hurt me dear friend." The thunder god said, dismissing her worries.

"Just look both ways before you cross please." She begged, feeling a headache coming on.

"You have my word." He promised, nodding his head.

Not wanting to take a chance at another accident happening, she grabbed the hands of the two gods and hauled them across the rest of the way after the coast was clear. It might have been comical to be seen dragging two full grown men in leather and armor behind her with shocked expressions, but she wasn't in a joking mood. Lyra released their hands when they met the doors and ventured inside.

The floor was checkered black and white; people moving on it like chess pieces. Every high-end name brand store was in sight and three stores down she spotted Manhattan Men's Ware. The gods followed her in tow, observing their surroundings. People's heads turned as the group walked past, most of them snooty society types. They entered the colossal store and walked up to the register. A blonde woman with a tight red blouse and black pencil skirt walked over to them, her heels echoing across the wooden floor. It seems that the clothes weren't the only reason why this place was so popular.

"Hello I'm Serena, welcome to Manhattan Men's Ware. What can I do to help you today?" She asked, red lips pulled up in a charming smile.

"Yeah, um my…friends need a whole new wardrobe." Lyra gestured to the two men.

Serena eyed both of them up and down with her hazel eyes, lingering on Loki a while longer. He flashed an enchanting smile at the blonde; enough to make the woman almost swoon. Lyra felt herself stiffen and clear her throat loudly. The blonde turned her attention back to her.

"Yes, I'll just need to get their measurements first. If you'll just have a seat across from the wardrobe mirror, I'll be back with the measuring tape." She ordered, giving her a fake smile.

She walked away from them, sashaying her hips with each movement.

"Man-eater." Lyra huffed under her breath.

She marched over to the plush tan sofa in front of the mirror and plopped down. Loki sat to her left and Thor at her right. She was fuming still at the blonde's forward actions and Loki reciprocating them.

Inspecting the armor they were still wearing, Lyra figured she better have them take it off to make the fitting go smoother.

"You guys might want to take off the heavier parts of your clothing; it'll make the fitting easier."

Thor obliged and began unhooking the protective clothing. Loki stood too, but looked down at her keenly.

"What?" She snapped, arms folded.

"Aren't you going to help me strip, love?" He asked suggestively, gesturing to his golden armor.

"No, I think you've got it covered." She retorted, sitting back and crossing her legs.

He frowned and began taking off the heavy metal. Lyra didn't understand why she was so uptight about Loki's flirting with the woman. Things between them had been rocky so far and she wasn't sure where this was going. She couldn't deny she cared for the god, but that should be where the line should be drawn, right? It's not like he had made an effort to romance her. Sure he liked to tease her a lot and touch her face, but in that sense she sounded more like a doll, a toy that could easily be disposed of. Was he even capable of loving something, of seeing someone equal to him?

Two piles of armor clanked on both ends of the couch and the two men were now covered in their basic clothing. They took their original places once more and Lyra stared at the floor, mulling over her conflicting emotions. The blonde came back, a pad and pencil in her hand along with the measuring tape.

"Who's first?" She asked.

Thor stood up first, towering over the dainty women. He was unaffected by her beauty, raising his arms up so she could measure his wingspan. Lyra recalled him mentioning he had someone he was seeing, a mortal woman named Jane. Nothing to worry about with the big guy then, but Mr. Undress-You-With-His-Eyes sitting next to her was a whole different story. Writing down all of the thunder god's sizes, Serena motioned for Loki to stand in his brother's place.

He assumed the same potion as Thor did and kept his eyes locked on Lyra, much to her irritation. It was when Serena put her arms around his waist to measure it, dragging her hands across his stomach, that Lyra truly lost it. She rose rapidly, grabbing her purse.

"I need to use the restroom, be back in a minute." She announced.

She turned to Thor who looked at her troubled. "Get whatever suits you, it's on Tony anyway."

She half-smiled at the thunder god and he bowed his head in understanding. Loki was seeking her gaze but she refused to look at him. Lyra walked out of the store letting out a frustrated breath. She wasn't planning on going to the restroom, but would sit on one of the benches in the middle of the hordes of people to let her anger vent.

In all honesty, it was that bitchy blonde that was causing problems. If Loki hadn't used that damn prince charming smile on her, she might have considered forgiving him. Then again he didn't really have anything to apologize for. He was his own man and she was her own woman, no relationship between them. She groaned and held her head in her hands, wishing it would all stop.

A sharp poke in her arm jilted her out of wallowing and she lifted her eyes to see who disturbed her. It was Andrew, smiling at her brightly with those innocent green eyes.

"Hi Ms. Lane, I've missed you." He greeted.

"Andrew!" She exclaimed, taking the boy in her arms and squeezing him.

"What are you doing here alone? Do you need a friend?" He asked, looking at her with worry.

This kid was already giving her the water works, bless his heart.

"No, no I'm not here alone. I'm here with my friends; I just needed to rest a while on this bench." She explained.

"You look sad, like someone broke your piano at school." He persisted.

She chuckled, silently amazed at his perception.

"I'm much better now that you're here. Now tell me, did you make any new friends while I've been gone?"

He got really excited all of a sudden, almost bouncing on his feet.

"Uh huh, Lucy is my friend now and she is really good at sword fighting."

She smiled at the good news. "Wow that's so great. What about your brother? Are you two getting along better?"

"Yeah, he and the other guys said we could play dragons with them."

"Now I see where the sword fighting comes in. I want you to know I am so proud of you Andrew; you let people see how amazing you really are."

"Thank you Ms. Lane. When are you coming back?" He asked, sitting next to her on the bench.

Lyra's face drooped, unsure what to tell the young boy.

"Honestly honey, I don't know. Things are a bit complicated right now. I might not even be able to make the spring concert." She admitted.

His face fell and his shoulders slackened, breaking her heart. She knelt down in front of him and lifted his chin, deciding to instill some kind of hope in him.

"Andrew I have something very important to say and I need you to pay close attention. If things ever go bad, remember that I am always there for you no matter what. I am and always will be your friend, nothing could ever change that."

"Okay, you'll always be my first friend Ms. Lane." He mumbled, burying himself in another hug.

"That's right, now go on and find your parents before they get worried." She ordered, ruffling his hair.

"Okay, bye." He said, running off.

"Bye." She whispered, watching him disappear.

It took everything she had in her to walk back to the store without tearing up. At least he had made a friend and his brother had accepted him. She just hoped that she'd find her way through the chaos she was going through.

Heading back into the store, she saw Thor dressed in some black dress pants, a gray dress shirt, and a black button up vest with some very shiny shoes. It was a strange transformation, but Lyra was still wowed.

"Nice look, really liking the vest." She told him, pointing at the garment.

"Thank you. This fashion is different, but comfortable." He stated, feeling the material.

"You'll get used to it. Where's Loki?" She asked reluctantly.

"I believe he is still in the dressing room."

"Okay, I'll go pay for everything and you can get your stuff together."

She walked off towards the register only to meet Serena again. Lyra automatically straightened and narrowed her eyes a little. She pulled out her wallet to get Stark's debit card out and her phone to get his pin number that he had texted her earlier.

"I'll pay for their things now." She spoke indifferently.

The harlot smiled with feigned sweetness. "Alright, I assume it will be a credit charge."

Lyra boiled at the dig on her financial status.

"No, debit actually. I'm not completely reliant on hand outs to get what I need." She quipped with an eyebrow raised, sliding the card through the slot and typing in the PIN number.

"If I throw a stick, will you leave?" She shot back, throwing all formalities out the window.

"You know, you're really are as pretty as a picture. I know I'd love to hang you." Lyra hissed deadly, leaning forward on the counter towards the woman.

The woman's eyes widened in fear and took a tentative step back. Lyra stood up right again and smirked in redemption.

"Have a nice day." The teacher remarked sarcastically, turning on her heel to the entrance where Thor and Loki were waiting for her.

"Lady Lane, are you feeling alright?" Thor asked, face scrunching up with concern.

"I really don't know anymore." She replied, shrugging her shoulders with indifference.

Thor was about to voice his worry when Lyra was tackled by a small force, nearly knocking her over. She looked down to see a mop of golden blonde hair clutching around her waist.

"Ms. Lane! Ms. Lane! I found you." The little boy looked up at her with his baby blue eyes, smiling.

"Ty, what are you doing here? I just sent Andrew off a few moments ago." She reprimanded, pushing the hair out of his eyes.

Right on cue, Andrew came running up to them wheezing.

"Drew told me you were here and I came to see you." Ty reasoned.

"You ran too fast Ty, couldn't keep up." Andrew choked out.

"Sorry Drew." Ty apologized.

Lyra shook her head at the two, grinning. "Well now that you both are here, you can meet my friends."

She turned to the two gods who had watched the whole exchange with interest.

"Thor, Loki, these are two of my students, Ty and Andrew. They're brothers." She added, judging their reactions.

Loki's face was unreadable like usual, but Thor smiled warmly. Ty stepped forward and shook the thunder god's hand, showing off his bravery. Andrew, who was shyer by nature, stared up at Loki with curiosity. Lyra watched them carefully, wondering who would break first.

"You're tall, are you a giant?" Andrew asked innocently, tilting his head to the side.

Lyra panicked, hoping Loki wouldn't take it the wrong way. Thor also tensed, prepared to interfere if necessary. Poor Andrew had no idea how right he was.

"More or less little one." The god of mischief spoke calmly, humoring the boy.

The thunder god and the sonic siren relaxed, glad things didn't get out of control. To her surprise, Andrew smirked and by God it looked almost like Loki's. Lyra blinked a couple of times and shook her head to make sure she wasn't daydreaming.

"Okay boys, I think you've evaded your parents long enough, I will see both of you when I return." She said, hugging them both one last time.

"Bye !" They both said in unison.

"Come on Drew, we'll hunt monsters down together." Ty said to his brother, slashing the air with his fake sword.

They both ran off into the crowd of passing people laughing and chasing each other. Lyra watched after them, trying not to shed any tears. She had to usher them off quickly, any longer and she would've told them the truth. She swallowed and put her wallet back in her purse.

"You guys are probably hungry, let's go eat." She commanded quickly, sniffling a bit.

"Do not worry Lady Lane, everything will work out for the best." Thor comforted, putting a huge hand on her shoulder.

She shook her head, looking at Loki who was standing a ways away, staring off into the distance where the boys had run off.

"There is something going on between you and my brother, what is it?" Thor whispered urgently, leaning his head towards her.

She didn't look at the thunder god, eyes fixed on the pondering god of mischief. He met her with his evergreen gaze, sensing her eyes on him. There was an undertone of emotion in his eyes, almost unidentifiable, but it was enough for her to see. Longing.

"I wish I knew."

* * *

**Poor Lyra, falling for a criminal is confusing. :3 Adding Thor in as a third wheel wasn't originally planned, but I deccided it would be good for him and Loki to do something together whether Loki wanted to or not lol. **

**When I thought this was finished, a thought occured to me. Lyra hasn't really met ALL of the Avengers, someone has still eluded her and she's going to meet him next chapter. Also more Loki and Lyra, but more private moments. Well, that's all I have to report. Thank you to all my lovely reviewers and followers! Poptarts for all of you! Don't forget to review some more please, it really helps me out.**

**ASTS**


	6. It's Complicated Pt II

**Hey guys! I know it's been awhile, but since school started things have been hectic. I am proud to present this new chapter to my regular readers and my new ones. You guys deserve it! ;) A lot is going on in this one. Loki/Lyra romance and a flashback from Lyra's past; disagreement from the other Avengers about the new couple and finally an appearance from the Hulk! So yeah, kickback and enjoy. Don't forget to review please! :)**

**Disclaimer: I do not own any Marvel characters or anything affiliated with Marvel. My OC's are mine and nothing else.**

* * *

**It's Complicated Pt. II**

Later that night, Lyra was sitting outside on the patio near the platform, looking up at the stars. Leaving the mall earlier, they had eaten at a sandwich place close by. Based on his personality, Lyra thought Thor would do best with a bacon cheeseburger which he thoroughly enjoyed. As for Loki, she took a shot in the dark and ordered him a salmon panini which he seemed to appreciate. Her appetite was lost to the chaos of emotions that ran through her mind and she stared into space for their whole meal.

When they got back to Stark tower, each of them went off to do their own thing. Thor had gone to the training room to lift weights; Loki had locked himself in his room, and Lyra was getting a needed dose of fresh air. She had been out there for at least a couple of hours; twilight had already waned into night. Her heels were forgotten in a heap by the door and she was still in her skirt. The nighttime air didn't affect her, the breeze flicking pieces of her hair here and there.

The dots of light above her were illuminated in waves across the nighttime sky. It was like you could almost touch them; making it hard to believe they were all so far away. She thought of Asgard, wondering what kind of a world it was. Visions of kings, queens, and castles came to mind; a child's fairytale. She assumed that it was vastly different from Earth by people, culture, and technology. She couldn't believe that somewhere worlds beyond hers, life existed. It made her feel so small and insignificant, but at the same time sent her imagination spinning with apparitions.

She imagined Thor receiving his hammer for the first time, Loki learning his first spell, and…

_"Loki."_ Lyra sighed in her head, squeezing her eyes shut in angst.

What was she to do about him? A truce had been established, but deep down she knew she wanted more than that. It was her job as an educator and by her own nature that she helped people, to guide them. The idea itself was insane, after all the damage and sorrow he caused, but all she could see underneath that hate was a lonely broken spirit tired of being pushed away.

As in tune as she was with her own feelings now, it was still one-sided. She had to know how he felt and if he was willing to let her in.

"May I join you?"

She jumped a little, turning her head towards the door. Loki was standing a few feet away, hands behind his back. He was wearing his suit still, only he had left his jacket behind. She sat up and turned sideways so he could sit next to her. He sauntered over and seated himself, staring at her with his intense gaze. He looked troubled, something was on his mind.

"You seem conflicted." She observed, looking back at him.

"You haven't spoken a word since we returned." He noted.

"I didn't have anything to say." She retorted, anger igniting.

"You were jealous of that woman." He said knowingly.

"I have no reason to be jealous of the likes of her." She bit back, ignoring the truth.

"Do all midgardian women threaten to hang one another for no reason?" He asked with a half-smile.

Her eyes widened, wondering how the hell he knew about that.

"How did you hear that? You were clear over by the front doors." She reasoned.

"My hearing is quite astute." He explained.

She frowned, knowing she was caught, but still refused to admit anything.

"You are rather fetching when you're angry." He admired.

He took her hand in his, rubbing circles on her knuckles.

"Just what am I to you exactly? A plaything?" She asked, still irritated.

"No, I enjoy your company."

She huffed and stood, crossing her arms.

"What more than that?" She questioned, inclining her head.

He looked at her, slipping into silence. She was tired of this game and if he wasn't going to own up to anything, then she would.

"You're going to make me say it huh? Fine. Loki, I have feelings for you. Despite the chaos you create and the dangers you pose I got close to you either because I'm really crazy or under the surface I saw someone just as lonely as that little boy you met today. I'm going to go with the latter."

"You can't mean that." He accused, standing up and moving towards her.

"I've never been a good liar, what I say is true. It's not a trick." She defended, looking into his eyes.

"You could have the soldier; he could care for you better." He said bitterly, still unconvinced.

He was trying to look for a way out and she didn't know why. All she was trying to do was make him see his value to her but he wouldn't believe her.

"Was he the one who numbed my pain or restored me to health? Loki, I know what you've done but you must know that your past does not define your future, everything is a choice. You can stand here all night and try to find a hint of insincerity in my words, but it would be in vain. Trust me, please." She urged.

He studied her and she put a hand on his cheek. He leaned into her touch, shutting his eyes momentarily. He opened them again, taking her hand from his face and held it once more.

"You are more important to me than any petty tailor. You are mine, my little bird, my Lyra."

She didn't know how to reply; he had never said her name before, ever. His green eyes begged her to say something, anything. There were so many words to be expressed, but spoke the first thing that came to mind.

"That's the best thing you've said all night."

The nostalgia had reached its peak and in one swift motion he pressed his lips to hers. She stiffened at first from the unexpected action, but then kissed him back with heated passion and let out a moan. His arms wrapped around her waist, pulling her closer to his body. Her fingers ran through his hair and she inhaled his cool peppermint scent. Want and desire flooded from him as his hands roamed everywhere, making her shiver. The rest of the world was shut out as the pulse of her own rapid heartbeat pounded in her ears. Her eyes shot open in shock. This was it, what she was searching for, her breath of life. It wasn't a purpose or destiny that brought this rare breakthrough; it was him and only him.

She pulled back, catching her breath. His forehead rested against hers, hands rubbing up and down her back soothingly. Her face was flushed and her lips were swollen slightly. Their erratic breathing broke the stillness of the quiet night. He smiled at her and rested his head on top of hers, uttering one word.

"Mine."

* * *

"What the hell?"

Lyra awoke from her slumber, opening her eyes to see a very shocked Tony. The others, minus Thor, were behind him with equally surprised expressions. She felt a hand stroking her hair and looked up to see a very pleased, smirking Loki. They were in the living room on the couch. She was lying against him fully clothed, thank god, but she couldn't recall how she got there.

Memories came flooding back to her and she remembered the kiss that she shared with the god of mischief.

_After their kiss he had picked her up bridal style and most likely was heading for his bedroom, when Thor showed up from his workout. Awkward didn't seem enough to describe that situation. Her face had heated up in a flash and she looked at Loki who was unaffected by his brother's presence, daring him to say anything. Obviously he was used to getting caught doing things he wasn't supposed to, but Lyra had felt like she had evoked some form of betrayal. _

_It was quite the opposite; Thor ended up smiling at the couple and congratulated Loki on his success of courting her. Loki's visage of annoyance from being interrupted faltered at his brother's excitement and he let her down. He mumbled a quiet thanks, keeping the sentiment light. Lyra watched the interaction with scrutiny, but not for long before Thor attacked her with a bear hug. Through the sound of her bones crushing, she heard him say he was delighted for her choosing his brother as a suitor._

_He released her when Loki began reprimanding him for choking her with his embrace. Although almost having the breath squeezed out of her, she had said her thanks to Thor as well. Loki held onto her close after that, keeping an arm around her. It was easy to see he didn't like people touching things that were his and apparently she was at the top of that list now._

_Thor excused himself to bed after seeing that his brother wanted some privacy. The two wandered over to the couch knowing that it wouldn't be safe to do anything risqué when they weren't alone anymore. Lyra could see Loki was bummed that they didn't go any further, but she cheered him up with more kisses, which he happily accepted. He ended up pulling her into his lap and they talked. Sometime during the discussion, her lids drooped with sleepiness and Loki decided to just let them bask in each other's company. The last thing she registered was falling asleep to the even rhythm of his rising and falling chest._

What was a pleasant sleeping arrangement had now turned into a compromising position as everyone's stunned faces were focused on her and the god of lies. She felt compelled to speak but no words came out as she opened her mouth. A door opening and closing from the hallway bought her a little time. She stood up, bringing Loki along with her. Thor entered the room, hearing Tony's shout.

"Friends! It's good to have you back. I have some controversial news to share, but pl-"

The thunder god stopped when he saw the guilty look on Lyra's face.

"Tony I-" She began.

Tony turned his gaze away from Thor to her.

"What did you do to her?" The billionaire turned to Loki.

"Nothing at all, I can assure you that everything between us was done with her absolute consent." He remarked, smirking and snaking an arm around her waist.

"Is this true?" Tony directed at Lyra, glaring at her.

She swallowed and reluctantly nodded her head, unable to form words. Lyra watched as everyone's faces, except Thor's, morphed into anger or shock. Tony pinched the bridge of his nose and Bruce removed his glasses doing the same. Clint and Natasha turned stony, clenching their fists. Steve's reaction hurt most of all, a mixture of fury and the bitterness of ultimate betrayal. It was a kick in the gut and she knew she deserved it, especially from him. It was because of the situation she was in now why she wanted to wait, to break it to them all easy, but that had blown up in her face.

"Did you sleep with him? You slept with him didn't you? Oh god it happened on my couch!" Tony whined, flinging both of his arms towards the furniture piece.

Lyra's guilty feeling was dominated by a sudden burning anger.

"Now hold on just one minute, I fail to see how that is any of your business!" She seethed.

"I think displaying yourself on _my_ couch gives me the right to know!" He shouted, pointing a finger at it again.

"There are bigger things happening right now and you want to focus on my love life?" She yelled right back at him, throwing her hands up.

"He took Barton captive, tried to kill Coulson, and sent Thor hurtling from the sky to his death! Did he tell you that?" Natasha raged, cutting in.

She fell into silence, revealing that she didn't know about any of that. Looking at Loki, she saw that he didn't deny any of it and was glaring at the assassin.

"Tell me Lyra, how are mommy and daddy going to react when you bring home the fucking god of lies?" Tony barked at her.

That question stabbed her in the heart and she had to fight the lump that formed in her throat. Tony had no idea how much that hurt her. Instead of crying she bit back her tears and glared with anger that could rival the Hulk's.

"I don't know about my father, but you can ask my mother about it. She lives at 72 East 1st street, while you're there why don't you say hi to your dad for me?" She asked bitterly.

Tony shut up immediately, taking the low blow and recognizing his own he had made at her. Everyone else picked up what was hinted at except for Thor, Loki, and Bruce. No one had noticed how violently the brilliant man was shaking from all the confrontation. Seeing that Lyra was upset, Loki took her face and began wiping away the stray tear that she didn't even know had escaped. Steve, who had been silent the whole time, suddenly jumped into action slapping Loki's hands away from her face.

"Don't. Touch. Her." The captain forced out each word with a growl.

Loki's rage flared up in an instant and he pushed Lyra behind him protectively.

"I shall do what I want soldier, she choose me. How does it feel to loose the beauty to the beast?" He smiled at him tauntingly.

By now Clint and Natasha had weapons out, guns aimed at the god. Tony was behind Steve, ready to back him up. Thor came rushing over to put an end to the quarrel and poor Bruce was still being neglected. Lyra jumped in, trying to pry herself between the god and the captain.

"Stop this, both of you, now." She ordered, but was pulled away by Thor and placed behind him, once again on the sidelines.

"What's going to happen when you end up disappointing her?" Steve asked angrily, ignoring Loki's previous insult.

"From the wonderful noises she's made captain, I'd say the chance of that happening is scarce." Loki smirked deviously.

That was it; Steve gritted his teeth and threw a punch. Loki caught it and threw his own, but Steve was quick and stopped his too. Their arms were now criss-crossed and they struggled to free their hands. Thor also threw him into the tangle of limbs, trying to pry the two apart. Natasha and Clint were circling the three to get a clear shot. The pulling motion was so strong that when their arms were released, they ended up hitting Thor in the chest, sending his arm reeling back and knocking Lyra clear across the room.

She hit something hard and crashed to the floor, rolling a bit before stopping. Everyone stopped fighting to see her on the floor a few feet away from a convulsing Dr. Banner. Lyra felt like a truck had hit her and when she took a breath her chest ached badly. She was about to call out for help when a deep angry growl sounded throughout the room, making her heart skip a beat. She tried sitting up and saw what she had landed against.

Bruce was on the floor, crying out in pain. She heard the sickening sound of his bones breaking and growing again, his flesh turning green. Lyra's eyes widened in horror. She agonizingly crawled towards him to try and salvage what remained of the scientist before it was too late.

She grabbed his face. "Bruce? Bruce it'll be okay, just calm down. Look into my eyes."

His eyes were a monstrous green and his form was still breaking and growing, clothing ripping to shreds. He grunted and shook his head violently, making her remove her hands from his face. He latched a giant hand onto her shoulder, pinning her in place. It was too late and she was in grave danger now as his grip cracked the bone into two separate pieces.

"Lyra!" Steve yelled, making an attempt to save her.

The Hulk was almost out now and he roared at the man of time, causing him to stop in his tracks. Lyra could only look on in fear as the monster finally emerged, picking her up as he stood to full height. His hand had grown so big now it was gripping her waist, like she was a doll. He roared loudly making everybody flinch and cover their ears except for Lyra whose hands were pinned to her sides. She thought Thor was huge; this guy could have his own solar system.

She should've been screaming in pain from her shoulder and chest injuries, but there so much adrenaline pumping through her right now she couldn't even comprehend the word. She saw everyone was freaking out big time, especially Natasha. The beast looked around the room, ready to pulverize anything that came at him. It was when he spotted the god of mischief that he spoke.

"Puny god." He growled, stepping towards him.

Loki's eyes widened and he stepped back a little. Lyra quickly figured that the last time they fought, the Hulk had come out the winner. She began to struggle against the raging monster's hold. She didn't know how to communicate with the beast, but did it in very few words.

"Hulk no smash god!" She tried to say in an authoritative voice, failing miserably.

He lifted her to his face and roared, sending her hair flying behind her. His huge teeth mashed against each other and he shook her a little to show who was in control, bringing an onslaught of pain she finally felt.

"Enough! Unhand her you idiotic creature, she is mine!" Loki bellowed, tired of seeing her being treated like a rag doll.

"Loki stop, you'll only agitate him further!" She yelled at him through panting gasps.

"Hey! Big guy, let's put the nice birdie down." Tony cut in, giving her a pronounceable name for the beast.

"Birdie hit Hulk. Hulk smash birdie!" The green giant exclaimed, turning her sideways and lifting her above his head.

"No! Hang on there big guy, let's talk about this." Tony quickly negotiated.

"We need to calm him down!" Clint shouted, speaking for the first time since he entered the room.

An idea hit Lyra and she decided to go for it.

"Wait, I have a plan! Nobody move and be quiet." She commanded.

"What kind of a plan is that?" Steve lectured.

"Just do it, damn it!" She screamed at them.

They did as she said.

"Hey, big guy, I need to talk to you!" She called down to him.

He lowered her down so she was face to face with him again. She couldn't believe she was about to do this, it was utterly ridiculous, but it was worth a shot.

_You change in front of me  
Your eyes get darker every day  
It happens quietly  
Your focus slowly burns away  
And if you let me hear  
The things you seem to wanna say  
I will wait to go  
Until I know you're somewhere safe_

It hurt like hell with every word she sang and it certainly wasn't pretty with all the shaking in her voice, but his rage started to dull. He was more confused than calm, but if it kept him from making her a pancake on the ground she would push through the agony.

_And even if you chose  
To lock yourself away  
If I listen close  
I can almost hear you say_

_Once I was real  
Once I was somebody's child  
Once I could feel  
Some feeling once in a while  
Once I was here  
Once I was somebody's friend  
Once I appear  
I will be real once again_

She had to stop, there was no more will in her to fight and her breath came in shallow gasps. She could only hope it was good enough to save her.

The Hulk regarded her carefully and saw she was no threat. Lyra started seeing black dots and was slowly losing consciousness. The creature held the woman above Loki and dropped her into his waiting arms, not missing the chance to glare at the god.

"Birdie sing pretty, Hulk like. Bruce fix birdie." He announced.

He started shrinking then, gradually turning back into Bruce Banner. Steve ran up to catch him before he slammed his head into the ground from collapsing of exhaustion. He was now fast asleep and Lyra felt like doing the same. She felt Loki hold her closer to him, minding her right broken shoulder and most likely cracked ribs, kissing her forehead.

"I'll kill him love, somehow, I swear to you." He whispered into her ear as she drifted off into nothingness.

* * *

_Warmth. The sun beat down on her with its bright rays, flickering when the swaying branches moved in their way. It was a perfect spring day to sit on a bench and watch as time seemed to move around her while she stayed in place. Central Park was never her go to place when she needed to get away, but it just felt right when she woke up this morning._

_It was always fun to see how long it took them to find her. They made it too easy to escape in the first place. Eventually they'd discover her in the same place she always went, but not today. This latest act would probably earn her a bigger punishment, but at least they didn't lock her in her room. Maybe they never tried to cage her because they knew she'd always come back. Now that was a scary theory, scary enough that it might be true. It couldn't be though; she never liked it there anyways. It may have been all she's ever known but it never brought her any joy. Molding yourself into what they want? No thanks. Ever since she was brave enough to sneak out, she'd been looking for him. The thought of him being dead or want nothing to do with her crossed her mind several times, but it never stopped her from trying._

_All of her adventures ended in the same place, right in front of that heavy stone protruding from the ground. It was weathered, but it had her name on it and that's all that mattered. Tracing the letters, the date, her titles, it was all she had of her. Knowing you were alone in the world hurt, but she didn't let it get to her. There was still a purpose, a candle in the dark, for her to continue through this miserable existence. It was going to be her ticket out of there and she could hardly wait for that day to come. Until then, she would have to make do with these little escapades to keep her hunger for freedom at bay._

_The birds were singing and everything for a brief moment was peaceful. Then she saw them, they had found her. Probably tracked her through the subway cams to figure out where she was. It was different this time though, they brought police officers, most likely to help search the whole park for her. She quickly got up and walked away from the bench as inconspicuous as possible. There were officers everywhere and she kept her head down as she walked forward. Spotting a grove of trees, she dashed behind one and decided to wait out until she found an opening for an exit._

_Something grabbed ahold of her shoulder and she whirled around to be face one of the boys in blue._

_"Didn't think you'd outrun us did ya sweetheart?" He asked in a Brooklyn accent._

_Her mouth dropped open and she stared at him, unable to speak. He spun her around and cuffed her, pushing her forward as he spoke into his shoulder radio._

_"Stwalley here, got the girl."_

_"Copy that, bring her to the entrance."_

_"Oh you're in trouble now young lady; they'll lock you up for sure this time." He told her, still leading her onward._

_Her eyes widened and she dug her heels into the concrete. They couldn't' take her away, not now, not when she wasn't far off from freedom. She struggled and he fought her resistance. She was out of options and went with her instinct._

_"No, No, NO!" She screamed._

_Ripples of sound scattered all around her and like flipping a switch every living thing in her vicinity fell to the ground simultaneously. Bodies hit the earth, birds fell from trees, and a heavy silence descended. Her breathing was the only audible sound. She looked down at her feet and started hyperventilating. The cop was on the ground, hat askew, and streams of red were running from his ears onto the concrete._

_Blood._

* * *

Lyra's eyes snapped open and a rapid beeping rang out to her right. Bright light flooded her eyes and she tried to sit up when a shooting pain ran through her chest and shoulder. She groaned, feeling stiff and beaten as she fell back against the bed. Her pupils dilated letting the light in steadily and she looked around the stark white room. It was the lab, or at least the medical ward of the lab. There were beeping machines on either side of her, the heart-rate monitor had slowed its pace and began to beep at a normal rate.

There were a couple of flat screens to her left on the wall showing diagnostics of what she presumed was her body. She put her left hand up to her nose and found a breathing tube there along with a sensor attached to her middle finger. There was an IV tube stuck in her right arm and she looked up to see a bag of morphine dripping into the tube. Her clothes were gone and she was in plain white pants and t-shirt. Her oblivious state morphed into annoyance when she remembered everything. Being a punching bag was getting really old.

Footsteps rang outside of the door in front of her bed and in walked Loki, Tony, Steve, and Thor. Loki went straight to her, anger, worry, and stress evident on his features. The circles under his eyes seemed darker since she last saw him and his aura was gloomier than usual. He had switched back to his Asgardian clothing and armor, Thor as well. Steve stood by the left side of her bed and Tony at the foot of it. Thor was behind Loki who sat down on the lone chair on her right. He took her hand and stroked it fiercely.

"We saw the monitor flare up. You okay?" Tony asked.

"Yeah, nightmare." She croaked.

The playboy noticed her hoarse voice and walked over to a cabinet, taking out a glass. He moved over to the sink and filled it up, then offered it to her. Loki snatched it from him and handed it to her himself. Tony glared at the god, but Loki ignored him and helped her sit up to drink. All of them watched her silently, the only noise coming from the humming equipment and her gulping down the clear liquid. When she finished, Loki took the glass from her and put it on the floor. She looked at them all and spoke the only thing on her mind.

"Is he ok?" She asked them.

"Woke up an hour ago, told him what happened, and hasn't stopped pacing since." Tony replied.

"I want to see him." She demanded.

"No." Loki interjected.

She turned her head the god, scowling at him.

"I _want_ to see him." She repeated with force.

"I won't have it, not after the damage he's caused you." He argued back.

"He is riddled with guilt and probably thinks I hate him. I need to set him straight." She countered, not backing down.

Loki was aggravated by her stubbornness but he would have to deal with it. Now that she thought about it, she might as well clear things up with the rest of her teammates too.

"Look I never meant to hurt anyone or cause a war, but I need all of you to accept that some things have changed. I don't expect you to like my decision, but I want you to at least honor it. I'm still willing to follow you all into battle, don't make me change my mind with something as trivial as disagreement. This is a team and we need to start acting like one. Now will someone please get Dr. Banner before his hair grays over completely from stress?"

She looked each one of them in the eye with a stern expression. They still didn't look happy and she knew that this argument was far from over, but for the sake of they all moved to the door to leave. Loki and Thor stayed in their places though, reluctant to go. Loki staying was predictable, but Thor still present was odd. Tony looked back at her, standing in the doorway.

"Just for the record, I liked your singing voice; a little pitchy, but still good." He said with a faint undertone of teasing.

She somewhat smiled back. "I'll work on it."

With that, he left, walking ahead of Steve who was still outside looking at her through the window. She smiled sadly at him and waved a little. He raised a hand back, glowered at Loki, and walked away out of sight. Loki glared at the spot where he stood even when Steve was gone and Lyra stared at his profile. She reached out with her good arm and turned his head to her. His green eyes were blazing with anger, but when she began caressing his face he calmed down at once.

"You look a little worse for the wear." She observed.

"He only left your side when I convinced him that watching you rest would not heal you faster." Thor spoke from behind him, smiling and slapping a hand on his brother's back.

Loki visibly shrunk under the thunder god's show of affection and grimaced. Lyra never tired of that little brotherly action between them.

"Well it should only take a few hours before my body repairs itself fully, so the wait won't be completely unbearable." She joked, smiling and stroking Loki's hair.

"You had a nightmare, what was it?" Loki asked seriously, pushing aside her teasing and her hand.

Thor looked to her, also interested in her night terror. Her smile faded and her eyebrows knitted together.

"Something that happened a long time ago." She said elusively.

The two gods weren't satisfied with her answer.

"You don't want to know about my nightmare, you want to know about my past. Am I wrong?" She accused.

"The words shared between you and Stark did not go unnoticed either." Loki replied.

Thor nodded in agreement. Her mouth twitched a little bit and she sighed.

"That was a door I thought I had closed long ago, but it never stays shut. I didn't mean for that to slip out, it was an 'in the moment' thing. Though I suppose if I'm going to share my past, it might as well be with ones I'm still in favor with."

Thor looked at her with encouragement and Loki squeezed her hand, both urging her to start.

"72 East 1st street is an address to a cemetery, a burial place for when loved ones are laid to rest. My mother, Evelyn Corene Lane, died the day I was born. It was a postpartum hemorrhage caused by the trauma of my birth. She bled out before the blood transfusion could save her. My estranged father was not present and without him I was alone." She paused to compose herself.

"When I was told how my father was still alive I started sneaking out, thinking I could find him. I never did and I always ended up at the foot of her grave wondering why I was put in this position. They eventually figured out that I was missing and where to find me. Adoption was something I couldn't bare because I knew I had someone; no one wanted to adopt a runaway anyway. It was a constant cycle for a while, but when I was sixteen that all changed."

She stared at the sheets as she talked, playing with the edge.

"I broke my routine and went to Central Park one day. They used the police to find me that time and when one of them found me he said they were going to lock me away. I panicked and then everything dropped to the ground. It was an accident. There was _so _much blood."

She didn't realize how she was ripping the sheets into pieces and Loki grabbed her hands. She looked up to him with wild eyes and saw the worry flaring from his.

"My power knocked out every single creature in my vicinity, capable of hearing, unconscious. That's the day I found out I wasn't exactly your average orphan and it scared me to death. I ran all the way back home and didn't say a word for two weeks. It was all over the news. They questioned me and I lied, saying I just saw everyone fall to the ground and ran away because I was scared. They bought it, but even then I never let my guard down and always felt like I was being watched. When I turned eighteen I was offered a full scholarship to Julliard for my musical skills. I went to school for two years. I ended up with a master's degree in music and have been teaching ever since."

She finished and let everything sink in. It was the first time she told anybody about her life and finally letting it all out was truly freeing. She didn't know how they would take it, especially Loki. In ways they were the same and others very different, but if you dug down into the core of it all, they were both very lonely. Thor looked like he wanted to say something and Loki, he was lost in his own mind.

"Dearest Lyra, I cannot even begin to comprehend your sorrows but through your adversity you have become a noble scholar and a wonderful person. I am verily honored to call you friend." The thunder god said with utmost sincerity.

"Thank you Thor. You are a good friend as well." She smiled back at him.

"I shall leave you alone to talk with my brother." He announced, leaving the room.

Silence enveloped the room again and Loki still hadn't said a word. She was beginning to think something was wrong until he spoke.

"How did you do it?" He asked just loud enough for her to hear, turning his head towards her.

"Do what?"

"Live. You had everything taken from you, how could you go on?" He was searching her eyes madly.

"There was a life I was born with and there was a life I made. Living in the past never helps anyone and when I discovered my greatness I moved on. I found peace in never knowing who my father was and the reason why he wasn't there. It still hurts sometimes, especially with her, but I firmly believe my mother loved me with what little time she had."

He was quiet again and she sat there patiently waiting for him to speak, a ritual she was getting used to. Those beautiful evergreen eyes at last found hers and he reached forward. He then took her face in his hands, angled her head and kissed her deeply. It was passionate and full of intensity, leaving her breathless and dizzy. The taste of masculinity and smell of fresh peppermint was heavenly. Loki always managed to daze her and she never wanted him to stop. If it weren't for her need for oxygen her lips would never leave his. He broke the embrace and moved to her ear.

"Thank you for that." He whispered to her, moving back and kissing her again.

She pulled back from him with crimson cheeks, breathing in and out heavily.

"F-for what?" She stumbled, trying to get a grip on her swirling mind.

"For sharing that with me." He explained, stroking her face.

"I just wanted you to know you're not the only one who feels alone." She sympathized, kissing his forehead.

"And you thought it would be best to share it with someone like me?" He questioned.

"Misery seeks company darling." She replied, smiling at him warmly.

"You always know what to say. Frigga has that same quality."

He mouth closed and his jaw clenched as he realized what he said. Lyra's eyebrows rose and her curiosity kicked in.

"Who's that?" She asked, tilting her head.

"My mother." He murmured, looking at the floor.

It was a miracle; he was opening up to her. He had a mother, but was it his adoptive mother he was referring to?

"She's queen of Asgard?"

He nodded and shifted a little bit, uncomfortable with being vulnerable.

"I envy you, you know." She said softly.

That caught him off guard. He raised his head to look at her, eyebrows knitted.

"What?" Was all he could say.

"I envy you. I would give anything to see my mother or even just hear her voice. All I have are a few photographs and second-hand memories. I have to go day by day, believing what other people thought about her and not get to have an opinion of my own. It's not fair!"

She was angry now, crushing the heart monitor. A droning beep blared from the machine it was hooked up to, no pulse for it to measure. Loki followed her example and smashed the machine, punching a hole through the screen to stop the incessant noise. His hand came out unharmed of course and she unfolded hers to let tiny pieces of plastic and wire fall onto the bed. A scuffle sounded from the doorway and the couple turned their heads towards the racket.

It was Bruce, he had on fresh clothes and thankfully his glasses weren't damaged from his crash with Lyra. One of his hands clenched and unclenched while the other scratched the back of his head awkwardly. He carefully walked into the room opening and closing his mouth. He looked at Loki and took a timid step back from the burning sneer that was being sent his way.

"Dr. Banner, please come in." Lyra said tenderly, putting a hand on Loki to keep him at bay.

"If I'm interrupting something, I can come back." He said nervously, jutting a thumb towards the door.

"Yes, leave." Loki growled.

Lyra frowned at him.

"No, I asked him to come here. He can stay." She said with finality.

"You want to be in the same room with the creature that put you here?" He asked angrily.

"He's fine now. Besides, he didn't mean to hurt me. Right doctor?" She asked, turning her head towards the scientist.

"Uh, I um don't-shouldn't…" He trailed off, hands up in defense.

"Just give us a few minutes, okay?" She returned her attention to Loki.

He looked outraged that she was sending him away and then glared at her, remaining in his seat. Lyra gave him a determined look and pulled him closer so she could whisper in his ear. Bruce watched as she murmured soft words into the trickster's ear. His angry visage disappeared when she released him and he reluctantly rose from his chair with a blank expression. The god narrowed his eyes as he walked by the doctor who was faintly shaking. Lyra didn't know if it was from anger or fear, but he stopped when Loki was finally gone.

"How are you feeling?" She asked him, patting the empty chair next to her.

He walked over to her and sat down, rubbing his hands against his legs.

"Shouldn't I be asking you that?"

"Dr. Banner I don't blame you for anything. It was my fault anyway." She gestured to herself.

"No, I should've been more in control, cleared the room when I saw a fight brewing." He swept him arm across the air.

"You wouldn't have left, no one would; they thought I was in danger."

"Are you in danger?" He looked at her seriously.

"No, but everyone else acts like I am." She said bitterly.

"You can't really blame them, the guy tried to take over Earth." He reasoned.

"I know. None of this is rational, but I'm still on the right side. Things are just a little bit different now." She said, shrugging her shoulders.

"Do you even know where this is going?" He argued.

She sat in silence for a moment, considering her response.

"No. All I know is that he needs me as much as I need him." She answered honestly.

"Look, I need you to hear me out. I've seen the way he looks at you, it's like you're his possession or something and the way you gravitate towards him, it's unhealthy. How is any of that okay?" He disputed.

The more the doctor argued, the more he was making sense. He couldn't be right though, with Loki she felt things she'd never experienced before. She remembered feeling the passion from his kisses, the adoration in his stare, and the comfort of his embrace. Yes, he was the complacency she had been missing all her life and was becoming an addiction, she could admit that, but he wasn't one she was ready to let go of.

"Lyra, there's a reason why he's the god of lies. How do you know that any of this is real?" He asked in a quieter voice.

That made Lyra look up at him. She didn't know, it was simple as that and now that she thought about it, this all seemed crazy. She felt like Juliet, carelessly falling in love with Romeo. It was wrong and now she was questioning if anything Loki said was true. Was she a possession to him? The thought of being trapped and owned had her panicking. No freedom, it made her cringe.

"He was lonely, like I was. I thought he needed somebody like him, an equal."

She didn't even believe in her own words anymore, putting her head in her hand.

"He doesn't see you or anyone else as his equal. You keep on going down this destructive path and disregarding the consequences, it's going to end badly for both of you. Stop this now before it's too late." He said, coaxing her to his point of view.

She shook her head. "I cant, I'm in too deep. I hear what you say Bruce, I really do, and now I'm aware of some things now that I wasn't before. I will stay with him not because I'm diluted, but because I can't imagine how he'll react if I push him away like everyone else has. I just have to put my guard up and figure things out. Right now though, there are bigger things at stake and I need to focus on that."

Bruce nodded his head, not completely satisfied with her choice, but at least she was enlightened.

"I take it no one's told you anything since we got back."

"No, not a thing. Loki told me you and Tony were testing some new weapons."

"Yeah, they're just prototypes; most of them were possible new additions to the Iron Man suit. We were however designing some newer technology based off of your abilities, but we need more data." He shared, rising from his seat and going over to a computer set up near the flat screen TV.

"What kind of data?" She asked, turning her body to face the screen.

"Well for starters while you were unconscious," he winced a little as he spoke, "Tony took a CT scan of your lungs and found some pretty interesting findings."

He tapped against on the clear screens and pulled up some images onto the TV. The screen flashed to two large, dark symmetrical shapes.

"These are your lungs. Now they look healthy and function properly, your breathing rate has shown that. The only difference is, your lung capacity is slightly bigger than a normal human's is." He traced his finger around the two black masses.

"Okay, so I won't get short of breath so easily while running. What's the point?" She asked.

"I have a theory that with the size of your lungs, your power can be amplified to last longer than the few seconds you allow it to. A supernova state, if you will."

His excitement was building, like a little kid on Christmas Eve. Lyra could see Bruce wanted to eagerly test his theory, but him of all people should know that risk would be involved.

"I know you're wanting to test this theory badly Dr. Banner, but I think we're still in the early stages of controlling my powers. The first time I tried your signing therapy was today, on you." She finished hesitantly, seeing his enthusiasm die out.

"I'm sorry, I got carried away. Tony mentioned how you stopped things before they got worse."

The regret on his face was obvious and he took his glasses off, pinching the bridge of his nose for the second time today.

"Do you remember anything at all?"

"Not a lot, just flashes of faces. I can't even begin to tell you how sorry I am." He put his glasses back on.

"And you'll never need to. I forgive you Bruce. Besides, the big guy and I are on better ground now. He thinks I sing pretty." She told him happily, smirking.

He smiled a little bit and then reached in his pocket, pulling out a piece of paper. "It's good to know he's found a friend. Here's that list of songs I promised you and Tony had a piano delivered here to the tower so you can satisfy your musical needs too."

Lyra brightened at the mention of the instrument. "Really? That's fantastic; I've missed playing so much."

"He figured you would. I'll leave you to heal now, I'm sure you're, um, boyfriend wants to keep you company." He cleared his throat and walked towards the door.

"Thank you for your help Bruce, for everything." She called out to him.

He nodded his head and turned away, swiftly walking out of her room.

Lyra stared at the slightly tattered sheets. Things were a mess right now. All of them were scrambling to prepare for a fight against a force they knew next to nothing about and now there was Loki. How did this happen to her. No man had been able to penetrate her walls like he had. Then again, he wasn't just a man. This flirtation with danger would come caving in on her eventually and that's what she was afraid of. If it was all a lie, then it was a beautiful one that ignorance kept alive. She was going to do just as she said, be with him, but at a distance; for she knew that if this was all a game, then it would play itself out.

* * *

**Ha, I hope Lyra has more self-control than I do. I wouldn't be able to distance myself from a god, but that's just me. :P So, thoughts, opinions? Next chapter we finally get our first battle, some more wooing from Loki, and a surprise present for Lyra from Tony. So, review! Do it, or Hulk SMASH!**

**ASTS**


	7. Burning Bridges

**Hey guys, sorry for the long delay. The ususal school stuff and that thing called a life got in the way, but I'm back and have a new one to lay on ya. I'm excited to say I've got a Loki POV in this chapter and more Loki/Lyra drama. Sit back, enjoy, and don't forget to review!**

* * *

**Burning Bridges**

Loki returned soon after Bruce had gone. Lyra had immersed herself in thought, eyes closed. She sensed the god sit down next to her, but didn't stop her thinking process. Since Bruce had left, she had been contemplating on how to tell Loki that things needed to slow down. Being a prince, and at one time a king, he probably didn't like being told no. If she was anyone but her argumentative self, she probably wouldn't have said anything to him, but she proudly knew her rights as a woman and could say anything she well pleased.

He was being patient with her, waiting for her to say something. She finally opened her eyes and turned her head towards him. Those deep emeralds smoldered into her blue sapphires, making her blush slightly from the intensity they generated. Amusement crossed his features as he saw the light pink brush her cheeks. She sighed at the sight of his signature smirk and turned her attention to the IV, taking it out of her arm. She pushed the sheets back and scooted herself towards the edge of the bed to get down. Alarmed, he pushed her back down and pulled the sheets back onto her.

"What are you doing?" He asked.

"Getting out of here." She said impatiently, taking the sheets off again.

"You're still injured." He argued, stopping her leg from reaching the floor.

"Not anymore, just a little sore now. It's not like I can't walk." She reassured him, shooing his hand away and planting both feet on the cool tile.

She stood up and took a few steps away from him before her legs became wobbly and gave out. She felt strong arms catch her as he grabbed her from behind, wrapping both arms around her waist and lifting her back up to her height.

"You were saying." He teased, his velvet voice ringing in her left ear.

"Oh hush, I just need to get my blood circulating again. How about we go for a walk, get out of the tower for a while?" She offered.

He turned her around to face him and tucked a strand of loose hair behind her ear, a smile on his face.

"I'd like that."

Without warning he scooped her up, gently cradling her against him. She winced a little from the movement of her ribs, making him freeze and check for any damages. She gave a reassuring nod and wrapped her good arm around his neck. He began walking out of the room and down the long hallway to the elevator.

He stared straight ahead and Lyra looked at his profile, lost in how perfect he was physically. A beautiful deity she had all to herself, what was there to worry about? Bruce's words came back to her, striking her conscience, reminding her that she was walking on thin ice. She was waiting for everything to come crumbling down any second, for all of this to be pretend like Banner had warned her about, but everything was still intact. If anything, Loki had been nothing but affectionate and concerned about her since she admitted her feelings for him. It was a strange switch from his usual superior arrogance he showed to everyone else. All this tenderness and care was reserved only for her and she relished it.

She thought he deserved just as much in return. Leaning forward, she kissed his cheek. Soft, cool skin met her lips and she let them rest there for a moment before pulling away. He stopped dead in his tracks and turned his head towards her, confusion in his eyes.

"What was that for?" He asked.

"For being so good to me." She replied innocently.

"That kiss, it was different. It was…" He looked away from her, trying to find the right word.

"Gentle?" She tried.

"Reassuring," He corrected her, "but not for me, for you. Something troubles you; I saw it when I returned to you."

_Shit. _

She forgot how perceptive he was. If he could detect something like that from a kiss then she didn't even want to know what would happen if she attempted to lie to him.

"The monster, he filled you with doubts, did he not?" He accused, anger flaring in his eyes.

"He is not a monster, yes he warned me about you, but that kiss was reassurance to me that I was making the right choice. It's just that the pace we're set at right now is causing tension for everyone, we should be cautious."

"Abide by other's code of conduct just so we can please them?" He scoffed, putting her down and pressing the button for the elevator.

"We can't be flaunting our relationship in everyone else's faces or else it's going to escalate to something similar like today and quite frankly, I'm tired of being injured." She argued.

His anger faded, an unidentifiable emotion dominating his features. The doors dinged open and he walked towards her backing her into the elevator. The doors closed behind them and they began their accent back to the penthouse. Loki stood in front of her and slowly brought his hands to her face, cradling it. His thumbs stroked her cheeks and she closed her eyes.

"I loathe the idea of you hurt." He placed his forehead onto hers.

His hands traveled further down to her neck. She tensed a little, remembering what it was like to have them strangle the life out of her. He noticed this and began placing feather-like kisses down her neck. His hands still roamed further down her torso and tugged at the hem of her t-shirt, exposing her stomach. He pushed the garment up more and slid it over her head, leaving it in a forgotten heap on the floor.

The sudden coolness across Lyra's bare skin snapped her out of blissful state and she instinctively crossed her arms across herself. Loki frowned at her embarrassment and pushed her arms down. He guided her back against the metal wall, hands on her hips. The contact of freezing metal mixed with the contact of his skin against hers made shivers run down her spine.

His fingers began tracing along her collarbone over to the straps of her bra and down to the peak of her breasts. Every nerve he roamed across lit on fire. They traveled further down to where a swarm of bruises were still visible on her ribcage. He stopped there and looked up at her, green eyes searching for any sign of pain. She showed no irritation and brought a hand up to his face, mimicking his earlier movements.

He sighed happily and leaned down to capture her mouth with his, tired of anticipation. The kiss heated up quickly as she jumped and wrapped her legs around his torso.

A growl sounded from the trickster's throat as he grabbed her bum to hold her up. At the feel of his hands squeezing her ass, Lyra let out a satisfied moan. She could feel his arousal harden against her as his tongue entered to clash with hers and they both began exploring each other. One of his hands began sneaking up to the clasp of her bra, but she stopped him before he got to it, halting the kiss too.

"Loki," She said hoarsely, "the elevator doors."

They both looked at the numbered screen, seeing how they were one floor from the penthouse. Using his inhuman speed he put her down, grabbed her shirt and put it on her just as the bell dinged the doors open. They were both breathing heavily and looked disheveled. She took his hand in hers and leaned in close to him.

"Do you always play things so close to the chest?" She whispered, walking into the living room alongside him.

"There wouldn't be any fun if I didn't." He replied back in the same hushed tone.

As the couple made their way to group, she noticed all of her teammates, except Steve, were seated at the dining table.

"Well then it's a good thing I stopped us before we hit the climax of our rendezvous." She said quietly.

He chuckled softly. "Darling, we haven't even begun to get to the climax."

She raised her eyebrows and blushed furiously, wondering just what he had in store for her. It was unnerving and exciting at the same time.

"Well you're still standing. Have a seat, we're about to have a meeting, just waiting on capsicle." Tony addressed her, not missing her messy hair and crumpled t-shirt.

Steve was Lyra's last loose end she had to tie up and took the chance to apologize to him privately.

"Where is he? I want to speak to him."

"In his room." The billionaire answered.

She nodded, but felt a hand on her shoulder, holding her in place. Loki was being difficult again, refusing to let her be alone with the captain.

"I won't be long, I promise." She comforted.

He didn't budge, remaining in the same spot with green eyes hardened with jealousy.

"Please? The faster we get this done, the more time we'll have for our walk." She tempted.

Loki went and sat next to his brother, for her sake. Tony then made a whipping noise and motion, which got a few snickers from everyone except Thor who didn't get the demeaning jibe. Lyra went up behind Tony and smacked him upside the head.

"Ow!" He complained.

"Grow up." She snapped, glaring at him and everyone else except Thor.

She turned on her heel to the hallway to find Steve. His room was next to the thunder god's and she rapped on the door a couple of times. A muffled voice said it was okay to come in.

She opened the door slowly and entered, closing it behind her. Everything in his room was ship shape and very orderly. It was like nobody lived there; the bed made to where a quarter could bounce right off of it. Steve was sitting in a corner in a big leather chair with a book in his hands. She read along the spine that it was Ernest Hemmingway's "A Farewell to Arms".

He looked up at her then and stared at her with that same heartbreaking sorrowful stare. She didn't know what to say to make him feel better.

"Hi." He said in a quiet voice.

"Hey." She replied awkwardly.

"You're walking, that's good." He stated matter-of-factly.

"Yeah, I'm not one to lie down and die."

"I'd have to disagree with that."

"Steve-"

"Why him? You know what he is, what he's done. Why?"

He rose out of his chair then, tossing the book down and walked up to her. He was waiting for an answer, but she had a feeling no matter what she said he would still be mad with her either way. She walked past him and picked up the book, minding the bookmark he had placed in it. She closed it and ran her fingers over the cover, letting out a short sigh.

"I know the night is not the same as the day: that all things are different, that the things of the night cannot be explained in the day, because they do not then exist, and the night can be a dreadful time for lonely people once their loneliness has started." She recited.

He recognized the quote from the novel and shook his head, moving to sit at end of his bed. She sat next to him, her hands folded in her lap.

"You're a good man Steve and you've been so kind, but I have to see this through."

"You know this won't last forever." He warned.

"Nothing ever does, but it doesn't mean I won't try."

"It's a waste of time. That man, that _alien_, is a killer. Everything you think you know about him isn't what it seems. You may have this idea of fixing him, but he's damaged beyond repair." He argued.

"You don't think I have doubts of my own? I'm waiting for the rug to be pulled out from under me as much as everyone else is, but he hasn't shown me any intentions of doing so. I've never met a more pitiful soul. His wretchedness is rooted in the memories of a neglected life more lonely than my own. I don't ask any of you to forgive him, but at least let me give him what he's been denied, compassion. Please Steve, that's all I ask of you."

He sat in silence for a moment, and then turned his head to her. His baby blues were hardened with a sternness she'd never expect from him.

"I don't think he's changed or that he ever will. If he breaks you, I'm coming after him."

She swallowed at his dismal approval and let his plans for the god go unspoken.

"I understand, thank you."

She put a hand over his. He stood, pulling her up, and took her hand in his.

"Please be careful." He pleaded in a whisper.

"Always." She answered.

Lyra broke the hold he had on her. "Come on, we've got a meeting to attend to."

He nodded and followed her out of the room. Thankfully no fighting had broken out while they were gone. There was a lot of glaring going on, especially on Loki's part, but she could deal with that. Steve took his place at the head of the table and Lyra took hers next to Loki.

"Okay now that we're all here, let's begin. First w-"

"Excuse me cap, but I have important news to share."

Tony rose out of his seat, gaining the attention of the group.

"Dr. Banner and I have created a new technology to aid in the fight towards our unwanted guests." Tony exclaimed.

Steve glowered at Tony, standing up to bring all eyes back to him.

"Yes Stark, I was getting to that." The soldier grumbled.

"Not fast enough old man, we can't afford your senior moments when the world's at stake." Tony mocked.

"Tony, get on with it. You're giving us all a headache." Lyra complained, speaking the minds of the whole group.

"I've already got one thanks t-"

She narrowed her eyes.

"Right, moving on."

He took out a black cylinder from under his chair and let it unravel flat on the table. The mat came to life, acting as a screen. Tony put a hand on the mat then lifted it up, an electronic model sprouting up from it. It was some sort of satellite; that much Lyra could decipher.

"This is a state-of-the-art nuclear MASINT, typically used by the government for espionage, but I've made some modifications." The playboy bragged.

"English Stark, we're not all experts here." Natasha ordered harshly, losing her patience.

"It's a satellite," Bruce spoke up, "it detects x-ray, neutron, and gamma-rays. S.H.I.E.L.D launched the three that we built yesterday."

"I don't understand, how will detecting radioactive signatures help us fight an alien army?" Lyra asked.

"Easy, the Tesseract emits low-levels of gamma radiation. The same goes for Rock of Age's glow stick of destiny. If this guy, Thanos, was stocked with a weapon similar to the energy signature of the cube, then we're betting that he has all sorts of goodies that will give off that kind of radiation." Tony explained.

"The Tesseract and the glow stick of destiny? I must have been left out on that information."

She was annoyed that she still didn't know everything. Tony collapsed the view of the new satellite and pulled up two other objects on the mat. The Tesseract was a just a cube and didn't look very impressive except for the fact that it glowed bright blue. The scepter, or "glow stick" as Tony put it, also acted as a spear and had a jewel that glowed just like the cube.

"The Tesseract is a great source of power that my father had owned for millennia. It was lost to us during the age of worship by man here on earth." Thor informed her.

"Centuries later Nazi SS officer Johann Schmidt found it and harnessed that energy for H.Y.D.R.A to use against the Ally forces in WWII. Howard Stark found it in the ocean while searching for me." Steve added.

"H.Y.D.R.A.?" Lyra asked.

"S.H.I.E.L.D.'s former number one enemy, but they're irrelevant now." Natasha clarified.

"So S.H.I.E.L.D is still in possession of both of these objects?"

"The Tesseract remains back in Asgard where it belongs." Thor corrected her.

"Then what of the scepter?"

"First off, you need to know that for a while it was in the hands of tall, dark, and gruesome over here." Tony mentioned, pointing at Loki like a little kid tattling in elementary school. "He used it to take over Manhattan and a handful of people's minds as well."

The billionaire glanced at Clint, who was staring intensely at the trickster. Either Loki didn't know he was being stared down or he simply didn't acknowledge Clint's scrutiny. What the archer was thinking at the moment, Lyra didn't want to know.

"Yes, it's been established that Loki took over Manhattan for a while." She huffed, tired of their constant reminder.

"The scepter acted as a fail-safe switch for the tesseract-powered inter-dimensional generator that created the wormhole." Clint continued, breaking his trance to address her.

She rose her eyebrows at how educated he was on the mechanics of the device. Then again, he probably knew all about it seeing as how he was under Loki's control for a while.

"So where is the scepter now?" She asked.

Loki, who had been uninterested in the discussion until now, moved his attention to those around him.

Tony glanced warily at Loki then at Lyra. "It's safe, with me."

The billionaire didn't look like he was inclined to talk more on the whereabouts of the weapon any further, at least not with the god of mischief in the room, so Lyra let it go.

"Well, Thanos isn't going to use just an army. As history had shown time and time again, it's that one side always has a secret weapon; something to turn the odds in their favor." Lyra finished, staring at the two digital objects suspended in mid-air.

"I agree." Steve spoke. "We don't know what Thanos plans on using to attack or when he will, but we need to be ready for him when he does. That means more preparation and training."

"Excuse me but I don't do training camps and therefore should be, uh, excluded from these little exercises." Tony complained, raising his hand.

"Relax Tony, if there's anyone in lack of training it's me." Lyra appeased.

"That's not the only thing you're in lack of princess."

Tony took a strange briefcase from underneath the table and set it on top, sliding it towards her. It was black all over and didn't seem to have any kind of latch to open it.

"What is this?" She creased her eyebrows, running her hands over the case.

"Voice recognition accepted." A robotic voice spoke from the case.

Her hands shot back case freed its locks and gave a little hiss. Lyra lifted the lid open to reveal the contents inside. There was a folded shirt of some sort and two plain black boots. The shirt was an electric blue color with a silhouette of a black bird on it. There was a white semi-circle against the background of it and had black curved lines emanating from it. She smiled, as she recognized that the symbol was meant for her.

"Tony, is this a suit?"

She felt the slick material, noting it had a certain thickness to it.

_Bulletproof. Nice touch. _

"If you'd rather fight a war in a pantsuit, then I wasted a considerable amount of time." He teased.

"I love it. It'll come in handy later, I'm sure."

"Then try it on, you've got to training to do anyway."

She nodded and stood up, walking towards her room. She heard Loki get up from behind her also.

"Where do you think you're going Rock of Ages?" Tony questioned.

"My business does not concern you mortal." Loki snapped.

"Cut it out you two. Loki should come with me. The more you two are separated, the better." Lyra cut in, continuing on to her room.

Loki smirked in triumph and trailed after her with his hands behind his back. The Avengers watched them leave, some with worry on their faces and others with vengeance.

* * *

"I apologize for the mess. I didn't expect anybody to come into my room, ever." Lyra spoke to the god behind her.

She opened the door and entered, heading straight for the bed to pull back the comforter and sheets. She put the briefcase down on the bed and began to pick up stray items of clothing at the foot of it.

Loki watched her scramble around, trying to make her make the room look somewhat decent. He stayed out of her way and wandered around the room, still taking in her every move. Her long curtain of wavy hair would drape in her face when she'd bend down to pick something up, making her tuck it behind her ears. Her face held absolute concentration for the task at hand, brow furrowed slightly. He would almost consider himself forgotten if she didn't glance at him every few minutes.

One week was all he had known this woman and already he was invited into her chambers. Her trust in him was astounding considering what he had done in his past and to her. He might've called her senseless just like the rest of the Avengers did, but the thought of a stranger putting their faith in him was too provoking not to take interest in.

It was no secret that he disliked her when they first met. That feeling only grew deeper when she had the gall to strike him. From then on he enjoyed toying with her, playing with her mind to ignite a flame of fear and lust. It was a fun little game he was winning, until she turned the tables.

The soft rapping at his door surprised him, for the only person that would dare to be on the other side would be Thor and even then he would not disturb him at such a late hour. He choose to ignore whoever it was, but then the sound of hurried footsteps and a door shutting from outside had peaked his curiosity. He had opened his door slightly to discover a tray of midgardian food and drink. He merely stared at it, and then shifted his gaze to the door at the other end of the hallway where she resided on the inside. This had changed the game completely and for once the god of mischief was stumped.

He had never told her, his pride would never allow it, but he ate and drank every last bit of sustenance she had given him. He hated himself for giving into weakness which only fueled his frustration as to why she would do such a thing. His only explanation for it was treachery and if there was one thing Loki hated more than anything, it was being tricked.

When he approached her aggressively in the elevator, he expected to get an answer out of her by force and he did. Seeing the life slowly dim from those sapphire eyes, he let her go so she could explain herself. She had said that she had known hunger and that it was guilt that made her pitiful of him. He remembered letting her words sink in and sighting the damage he had done to her. The elevator opened its doors and she had run from him before he could say anything.

His interest in her only grew after that, fate doing him a favor and pushed them together again. Her power was extraordinary for a mortal and made his pet name for her even more fitting. It was when she bent metal with her voice that he saw her as a threat and knew she could do far more than change the position of a utensil. She was a target to take out immediately with no remorse, but again she surprised him.

When she was hurt from Thor's toasting disaster, he actually wanted to help her with no inkling why. Seeing her eyes light up with wonder at the simplest of magic, he had to hold back an amused chortle at her small-mindedness. A small foreign feeling churned within him too but he ignored it. He took it as an urge to touch, to feel the closeness of another. Her face, her hair, anything she had exposed was now game. How wonderful her soft skin felt against his when she did let him touch her. She didn't shrink away, but thanked him with a tenderness he had never known.

From then on he sought to keep her by his side to further explore how she functioned and use her as an outlet for his basic carnal needs so he wouldn't lose focus on his goal. He made a promise to himself to not make it personal, only giving in when she wanted physical contact. It was a half lie when he said that he cared for her that night on the balcony. He did care for her, but not in the same way she seemed to for him. She was a mortal after all, that's what he kept telling himself.

He had broken his promise of a physically dominated relationship in light of recent events and discovered the tortured life she had endured. The possibility of them sharing a similarity on an emotional level possessed him enough to reveal his fondness of Frigga. It had left him vulnerable and he hated how it brought back memories that he had tirelessly tried to forget. He built a wall back up with their lustful act in the elevator, fulfilling his bodily desires and nothing more.

His little bird was the closest thing he had to companionship and the idea of the soldier, that mindless beast, or any other trying to take her away from him made his blood boil. She was his and no one else's. Now seeing her flying from one end of the room to other, adjusting pillows or folding sheets with care just because of his mere presence; it only made that possession stronger. Every way she moved had such a cadence to it, as if she was moving to the tempo of a private melody. Someone so pure and innocent, wearing her all white ensembles only made the irony of their relationship even more comical.

She noticed his quirky smile and halted her cleaning. "What's so funny?"

"It's nothing." He answered mildly.

She took a moment to assess his strange behavior and then shook it off, grabbing her new clothing out of the briefcase.

"You can sit, if you like. I'll only be a moment."

He closed the distance between them in a few strides and halted her actions. He wrapped her arms around his torso, pulling her in close.

"Are you sure you don't want any help?" He asked, giving a cheeky grin.

She smirked. "The last time you tried to undress me, I was almost put on display for the whole tower. I think I can handle this by myself."

He closed his eyes as she kissed his cheek and opened them again when he felt her hand linger on his face. The look in her eyes was something he hadn't seen before and that familiar churning feeling began again. She pulled away to move towards the bathroom, closing the door behind her.

The feeling lingered and he ran a hand through his hand through his hair. He started pacing and then stared at the door expecting her to come out and explain what she had just done to him.

He shook his head and sat on one of the chairs near the fireplace. One hand rested on the arm of the chair and the other holding his chin, his pointer finger resting on his upper lip.

_Temporary, that's all._

* * *

The clump of a boot sounded against the porcelain of the tub as Lyra began tying the black footwear. The suit fit well, though she wasn't used to having something so shapely around her body. It certainly hugged areas she wasn't so comfortable being accented, but it was her uniform and she wasn't about to have Tony make another one.

She slid on the other boot and tied it with ease. Standing to her full height, she examined herself in the mirror. The black silhouette of the bird stood out proudly on her chest and at that moment she truly did feel like some kind of superhero. She smiled at how official she looked turning at all angles. Her smile faltered when she realized that this was one step closer to the inevitable war that was to take place. Transforming from a teacher to a soldier in only a week hit her hard.

So much had changed in so little time. It seemed a lifetime had passed since that day Coulson had come to her asking to save the world. With all of this approaching so soon, she started to panic. She sat on the toilet, running a hand through her hair. What if she couldn't come through for the ones she cared for, for the friends she had made? What if they truly were all doomed?

She wasn't ready for something like this, ready to wage into war, pretending she knew what she was doing. Andrew, that poor little boy, was counting on her; she couldn't let him down. He was her only reason to hold onto what little faith she had in herself. Or was he?

She stood up and opened the door to the bathroom. Loki looked up from where he was sitting and stood to meet her halfway.

"What's wrong dear?" He asked, stroking her hair.

"This is all happening isn't it?" She asked.

He was silent, trying to figure out what she was fretting about.

"This," She gestured to the empty space around her," the war. It's coming."

"Yes, it is. Earth's mightiest heroes will not be able to stop the force that threatens them this time coming."

Lyra frowned. "And you didn't care to divulge this information because?"

"It would not have made a difference; the Avengers would still continue to fight regardless of my council."

"It wouldn't have made a difference, or you didn't care that they're about to risk their lives for an inevitable death?" She accused.

"Why do you turn your anger towards me? It is not my fault that they have chosen to foolishly go into battle."

"No, but leading people blindly into war is just as foolish! I suppose I am a fool too then, for fighting for what I believe is right?" Her voice rose in anger.

"Yes, you are. When it all comes down to the end, the weak will fall before the strong and hope of escape will be gone." He said coldly.

"I will not willingly hand over my freedom to a tyrant Loki." She growled.

"Now that is where you are blind little bird," He pointed a finger at her, "you are never truly free for there will always be someone above you pulling all the strings; ruling over you."

He was in her face now, eyes full of burning green flame. Something sinister still lied beneath them and all the progress she thought she had made with him was smoldering into ash from the glare he had pinned her with.

"I am not suppressed by anyone nor will I ever be. Sovereignty lies in freedom Loki, not subjugation. If you look at mankind's past, you'll see that time and time again kings and queens have fallen for their ignorance of self-divine."

He chuckled darkly. "You preach of deliverance yet your government presses its ways as the only solution to peace."

"I'm not the government and not everyone shares the same idea."

"But here you are, working for them without a single protest. Is that any different than answering to a king?"

"Yes, because I know that at the end of the day I can always defy them without the possibility of death hanging over me. A king wouldn't be so merciful."

"Are you so sure of that? Whether a king grants mercy or not is based on how loyal their subjects are. Believe me dear, I know." He boasted vainly.

"You are not a king Loki and you will never be again."

He slapped her, hard, across the face. She stumbled from the unexpected blow and almost fell over but Loki painfully grabbed her chin. He lifted her gaze to meet his and brought her face to his level so she could look directly into his eyes.

"I am a king! The sooner you accept that the better. Freedom is an illusion and the very thought will cost you a daunting price my little bird, one that I'm not sure you're ready to pay yet."

Lyra looked into his eyes with horror, the jade of his irises consuming her soul. His grip on her jaw was excruciating and she needed an escape. In a fit of rage she sucked in a breath and let out a piercing high note loud enough to irritate the god's hearing.

He released her immediately, shrinking from her shrieking cry. His hands gripped the sides of his head as the sound waves slammed against his eardrums. She stopped after a few seconds when she thought he'd had enough. They both stared at each other with anger, breathing heavily.

"Get. Out." She snapped, bearing her teeth.

They stared at each other, breathing ragged and shoulders still tense from their exchange. Without another word, he swiftly opened the door and left the room. Lyra's shoulders slackened as Loki's cruel words replayed in her mind. Tears silently and slowly slid down her face as she slid to floor stricken with heartbreak.

There was no saving him. He would never let her in no matter how hard she tried to free him of the darkness he was trapped in. Still, even though he was smothered in shadow, she couldn't let go. That little spark of light she had seen in him these past few days was no figment of imagination and that's what kept any hope of redemption alive.

Yet how could he accept her in his frozen heart if he didn't know how deeply she cared for him? His hunger for power prevented him from reaching any kind of realization and maybe if that was extinguished, he could be free. Though power, at least in Loki's mindset, was his form of redemption and she didn't know if even someone like her could change that.

She needed guidance in times like this, but those she had to talk too had no desire to talk about the complicated relationship between her and the god of mischief. Lyra would have to seek council from beyond the people around her and resort back to techniques she never thought she'd have to use again. It was time to make a visit to the past and she would do it alone. It would mean a chance to get out of the tower, away from Loki and most importantly, the approaching war.

"I'm coming, hoping that you'll help me because you have done so in the past and you haven't failed me once."

She looked up at the ceiling, speaking out loud into the empty space around her. With that, she stood and grabbed a leather jacket from her closet. Leaving everything else behind she walked out of her room and into the living room where some of her teammates still remained. Without a word, she walked past them and headed straight for the elevator.

"Did the suit fit okay princess?" Tony called out to her as she walked past him.

"Just fine." She replied, half-listening.

"Is something wrong?" Thor asked, the elevator doors opening for her.

"I'm not so sure anymore." She answered honestly, a far off look in her eyes.

"Are you leaving?" Clint questioned suddenly, making her jump a bit when she saw him step out of hiding by the fireplace.

The doors were getting ready to close and she pushed them back open letting a silence envelope the room.

"No- I mean yes. I have to take care of some things, but I'll be back. Don't wait up." She ordered, stepping into the elevator.

As the doors closed, she saw Loki's face emerge from the hallway. They had a split second of eye contact and she looked at him sadly. A look crossed his face before the doors sealed closed, one that was hard to decipher, but the only way to describe it was… fear? There was no time to think about that now as she sped down to the main lobby, she had a mission and she planned on accomplishing it.

_God help us all, because we're sure going to need it._

The doors dinged opened and without another thought she exited the building with one destination in mind, 72 East 1st street.

* * *

**Alright, that's all I've got for now. Next chapter will be the beginning of all the action so be ready. Let me know what you think, I really do like to hear all of your opinions. SO PLEASE REVIEW!**

**Until next time,**

**ASTS**


	8. Finding Hope

**Hello lovelies! Yes, I'm back. After a long hiatus I give to you the eighth chapter of "Breath Of Life". I have just been so busy lately, but I gritted my teeth and pushed through because you guys deserve it. I really don't have anything else to comment on, so I'll stop talking and let you get to it. Don't be afraid to review, favorite or follow! **

* * *

******Finding Hope**

Lyra walked into the cool night air, hugging the leather jacket closer to her as she made her way to the nearest subway station. The twinkling lights of Manhattan lit up one by one, the looming structure of Stark tower and other buildings hovering over her. Her boots thumped against the sidewalk and her hands rested in her jacket pockets, a five-dollar bill nestled safely in the left one. No form of communication was to come with her. She didn't want S.H.I.E.L.D., the Avengers, or anyone else tracking her.

It was just past sundown now, the waning rays of the sun falling over the city. People still walked up and down the sidewalks and cars still whizzed by, the noises of the city still prominent. She kept her gaze ahead, never focusing on a person but keeping an eye out to make sure she didn't run into someone.

It was the first time she had truly been alone since the events of the past week. Before, she was satisfied with living a bachelorette lifestyle and having people around had made things complicated and risky. Now, the constant presence of people around her had worn away the worry and insecurity that came with relationships. For once she was able to be herself without worrying about hurting anyone because, in a way, they were like her too. That in itself was a relief, but the comforts of good friends wouldn't keep away the nagging worry of the not too distant future.

Come what may, Lyra was prepared to fight and risk her own life. She knew that, deep down. So, why was going to the cemetery so important? Staring at the same carved stone again and again had gotten her through some of the worst days of her life. Now she wondered if it would help her through the current mess she had gotten herself into.

She walked down the steps into a subway tunnel. Familiar evergreen eyes flashed in her mind and she frowned. He was always there, resting in the back of her mind, waiting to claim her thoughts completely. The God of Mischief, the liar, the pariah; he went by so many names, but only one rang out clear to her.

_Loki._

She sighed and leaned against one of the support beams to wait for the train, tilting her head back to look up into the blinking fluorescent lights above her. She closed her eyes after the light was too intense and slammed her head lightly against the beam in frustration. He shouldn't be on her mind; he shouldn't even be there at all. Everyone was right; any kind of association with the Liesmith was volatile and reckless. But did she want to listen? No, she had to go and prove that she was right like always.

Defiant and proud, she was never one to change her mind, but lately that was slipping. Tony had managed to talk her into joining the team of misfit heroes, Bruce pushed her to reconsider her newfound relationship and Loki had wormed his way into her heart and mind with ease. Lyra could only imagine the storm Fury would create when he found out, that is if Clint or Natasha hadn't told him already. In reality she couldn't care less of Fury's opinion. What really vexed her was why Loki even bothered with her in the first place. Sure she made herself noticeable from the beginning, but never in a flirtatious way. It was him that kept their communication alive, always prowling for an opportunity to get under her skin. Perhaps he saw her as a challenge, to see if he could conquer her and then some. He didn't want her around, if not only to satisfy his primal needs and his violent behavior towards her left no room for companionship.

In all of the other romantic relationships she'd had in her life, none of them have put her through such a whirlwind. Before, it was simple dates with boys who would bring her flowers, hold her hand, and try to steal a kiss or two. Those were all too easy compared to the choke loving, animalistic, soul crushed man she was associated with now. It was unbelievable how one so psychotic could change her whole being within hours of knowing her. None of that mattered now though, whatever similarities he shared with her, his words and actions would remain hollow. He attempted to kill Coulson, his brother, the other Avengers and succeeded in killing hundreds of others. What would stop him from killing her once she was of no use?

There could only be one reason to keep her around, to pursue his relationship with her, escape. Lyra was seething now, the realization made her clench her fists so tight that her knuckles turned white. It was a clever plan, woo the most inexperienced and naïve of the team and isolate her to use for your own evil plans. She wanted nothing more than to smash him into oblivion right now, to scream until she saw blood flow from his ears and trickle out of his eyes so he could feel a fraction of the pain he caused her.

The train has rolled in now and the doors hissed open. Lyra let out an angry breath and surged forward, unaware that she was about to bump into an elderly man entering the subway train at the same time. The man let out a huff of air at her sudden contact and stumbled back into the side of the door.

"I'm so sorry! I wasn't watching where I was going. Are you okay?" She babbled, pulling the man inside the car as the doors swooshed closed.

"I've taken harder hits before sweetheart." She smiled slightly as he readjusted himself.

He was fairly old, at least in his mid to late eighties. A newsboy cap sat on his salt and pepper colored hair. A mustache and many wrinkles adorned his face. A black leather jacket, tan sweater and gray pleated pants rested on his frail frame. To top it all off, he had a pair of dark shades on. His presence gave a feel of a man whom had never lost their inner child.

Bumping into him made Lyra feel bad, seeing as how she was above average strength and had charged at the doors like an angry bull. He didn't seem affected by her though and turned to take a seat as the train lurched forward. She reached for one of the handles above her to stay steady and looked around for an empty seat. There weren't too many people this late in the evening, a shifty looking homeless man and the old man the closest people to her, but she choose to remain standing, holding onto the handle above her. She sensed the old man observing her and looked over at him.

"I won't bite." He said half smiling, patting the orange plastic faded seat next to him.

She tentatively sat down next to him, muttering a quiet thank you. Her hands twisted together and sat in her lap as she stared blankly at the dirty floor.

"Are you one of them?" The old man spoke up.

Lyra snapped her head to him in surprise. "What?"

He inclined his head towards her chest, her symbol still visible. She looked down and quickly zipped the jacket up.

"I don't know what you mean." She said quickly, crossing her arms and looking around to make sure no one else was listening to them.

"I won't tell. You're one of those Avengers, aren't you? I didn't believe in them at first, but you can't fake an enormous green guy jumping across buildings. Lot of good you've all done, but I didn't see you on the news. Who are you?"

The man had been talking to her animatedly in hushed tones while inside she was having a panic attack, so much for keeping her cover. It was when he stopped talking that she looked up and saw him staring at her expectantly. Lyra was hesitant to talk at all, afraid of revealing too much.

"I just wanted a name to go with a face." He said honestly, encouraging her with a grin.

Lyra sighed and shook her head, smiling. "I'm a new recruit and good at getting my cover blown. That's all you should know."

"Oh, sorry. I couldn't help myself, always wanting to run elbows with the big shots. Name's Willie."

He tipped his cap to her and she gave a half-hearted smile.

"I never would've thought that they had more of you lining up to join." He mused, turning in his seat to face her.

"They don't, I wasn't brought up to be one of them. I just happened to be what they were looking for and they _offered _a membership."

"You don't sound too excited to be a team player." He observed.

"It's fine, only I miss my old life. I had a job, a home, sense of normalcy…" She trailed off.

"Surely you have the option to quit?" She nodded.

"Then leave, it's not like the world's going to end if you decide not to stay." She smiled bitterly.

_How wrong you are._

"It's not that simple. What I have seems more like a curse than a gift. The only thing I can do is put it to good use and hope that I won't disappoint." She said softly, looking at his shaded eyes.

"Honey, if I woke up the next day with half the power that any of you have, I wouldn't worry about disappointing anybody. I'd be doing what you said, put it to good use, consequences be damned. That and I'd be able to deliver mail a little bit faster."

Willie's eyes crinkled in amusement as Lyra laughed heartily, a good feeling she hadn't felt in what seemed like ages. As her laughs died down the train lurched to a stop and the old man rose out of his seat, arriving at his destination.

"Oh and another thing, if you find something good in this cruel world, never let it go. The world could use more happy endings." He added, pointing a finger at her.

"And what if I can't find one?"

"Then make your own." He tipped his hat once more and exited the subway car.

Lyra stared, mouth twitching into a half smile, as the man faded away out of sight. Willie was certainly an optimistic individual, foolishly hopeful that a world so full of wrong could have a happy ending. She didn't know where she fit into his vision of a perfect world, but she could at least try to imagine she could.

The train halted to a stop again, this time arriving at her destination. She got off, walked up the steps and ascended to the now fully illuminated city. Late night food eateries had their neon signs lit up to welcome hungry patrons. People still littered the sidewalks and cars still rolled down the streets despite the evening hour. She took the familiar path past the old coffeehouse, novelty shops and around the corner to a flower shop. _Green Pastures Flower Outlet _the sign read, green and white paint peeling from the overhead hanging sign.

During her childhood, Lyra would scrap together any money she could to go towards flowers for her mother's grave. It wasn't very much, but it meant the world to her if she could at least give one flower in respect to her mother's memory. Now she was able to afford much prettier and more exotic arrangements. It had become a tradition to buy flowers from the small business and the owner, Fabrizio Agnello, had greeted her everytime since she came in for the first time all those years ago.

Lyra pushed the door open and heard the bell above her jingle. Floral fragrances filled her nose from numerous types of flowers that were all closely settled in neat rows. Potted plants hung from the ceiling and nestled in a corner was a tiny decorative waterfall. It was a familiar setting and hadn't changed a bit except for the new arrangements that replaced the old ones each week.

Lyra smiled as she approached the front desk and dinged the service bell twice to alert Fabrizio. Some shuffling could be heard from the back room and a middle-aged man came out from a doorway to greet her. He had on a long sleeved red shirt, the sleeves pushed up to his elbows. He had on dress pants and black Italian loafers. The large green apron tied around his waist covered up most of his attire.

"_Ciao, bella_! It has been too long!" His strong Italian accent still present despite his years living in the states.

He came around the front desk with arms open. His face had the slightest of wrinkles as he was in his early fifties and his hair already started showing specks of gray around his temples. None the less, his smile was a welcomed sight as he embraced her.

She hugged him tightly. "Hello Fabrizio, I've missed you as well."

He leaned back, both hands remaining on her shoulders. "What brings you here this late in the evening? I was ready to close shop."

"I was thinking of paying Mom a visit and needed something to surprise her with." She avoided his eyes and began browsing the different blooms.

She wandered around the room scrutinizing each arrangement, occasionally sniffing one. Lyra heard him approach her from behind and straightened up to look back at him.

"You seem different, changed somehow." He gestured to her apparel.

She looked down at herself and back at him, trying to keep a blank stare. "I've had a crazy week, if that's what you mean."

"You sure you're not in some kind of trouble?" He prodded, crossing his arms.

"No, I've just made some small changes lately." She lied, crossing her arms as well.

He didn't look convinced and continued to evaluate her. "Really, I'm fine. I'm just dealing with some personal things right now and I think that seeing my mother would relieve some of the stress."

He sighed, letting it go and walked back around to the register. "You want the usual?"

"No, I just need one this time. It will be enough." She brushed her finger across a tulip petal, her back turned to him again.

He rang up the register, looking up at her every once and while, and wrapped the single yellow daffodil in white tissue paper. Lyra saw he was finished and walked over to the register, pulling out her money.

"That's four dollars, right?" She placed the crumpled bill on the counter, pushing it towards him.

He stopped her hand, took the money, and placed it back in her palm.

"Your money is no good today. Take it, as a gift for being a loyal customer." He pushed the flower towards her.

"Fabrizio, I insist, let me pay. I-" She tried placing the money on the counter again, eyebrows crinkled.

He pushed it back at her, a sad smile on his face.

"No, you've paid enough in this life. For once not have to, eh?" He let the receipt print out and ripped it off.

He held it out for her and she reached for it, only for him to hold it back. He looked sternly in her eyes, all seriousness focused in his brown irises.

He sighed and Lyra could see the age and worry etched into his face. "Whatever problems you may be facing _cara mia_, I hope that you can solve them."

"I hope so too Fabrizio." She gave a small smile, taking the receipt from him and put it along with the money into her jacket pocket.

She took the flower and walked out of the shop, feeling the eyes of her foreign friend follow her until she was out of sight. The cemetery wasn't far from the flower shop, a few blocks away. The crowds of people thinned out and fewer cars past by as she got closer. Her senses became more alert and she was more aware of her breathing and soft steps along the concrete. Soon she was alone and there was nothing but the shadows. It was while walking though, that something felt off. A certain static clung to the air that made her uneasy. There was no trace of feet upon the ground except her own, the only breathing audible hers, but there was a definite unwelcomed presence.

Lyra decided to stay cautious and walked at a faster pace until the cemetery entrance came into view; its tall wrought iron bars pointed towards the pale moon. A heavy rusted lock sat upon thick chains, sealing the gate tight. It wouldn't be open until morning, but that never stopped her before and it wouldn't stop her now. She went around the side of fence, remembering how many sets of bars to pass until her secret entrance. She stopped after three yards and began pulling up a series of bars, trying to make as less noise as possible. Each individual bar was placed through a fitted slot on the gate and plunged deep enough into the earth to make it stable. With a little strength, one could pull enough bars up for them to slide underneath the barrier.

The last time she ever used this way was when she was sixteen, since then she'd been too busy to make late night trips. Now that the bars were loosened, she took her leather jacket off and placed it on top of the slots. She didn't want the bars to slide back through and trap her in the cemetery as she slid under.

Lyra grabbed the daffodil as she moved carefully beneath the fence. As she stood on the other side, she looked back over her shoulder, still unsure of the idea that she was alone. A stiff wind hit her, causing a chill to rush up and down her spine. She shivered and dusted off her suit, the emblem shining vaguely in the scarce moonlight. It would be hard for anyone else to find a tombstone in the dark, but Lyra had a path memorized long ago to reach her destination. With confidence, she began walking.

Silhouettes of marbled angels and crosses cast long shadows along with hers and the absolute silence made every step she took more audible. The uneasy feeling was growing stronger, yet there was nothing there to reveal any danger. It was like this unseen enemy was all around her, but she couldn't place it in a direct spot. If it were constantly moving then it would be difficult to place an attack. She trekked on to her mother's grave however, mindful of whoever was following her.

The snap of a twig had her instinctively in a crouched position. She looked around at the tombs before her but saw nothing. With hesitancy she turned back around and began walking again. The clouds faded away and the moonlight became more prominent, allowing slightly better visibility. A few more steps and she was in front of the black granite stone, standing on top of her mother's now withered bones.

_Evelyn Corene Lane_

_Jun 8__th__, 1959_

_Apr. 16__th__, 1984_

_Loving Mother_

Lyra bent down on one knee, placing the rumpled flower under the inscription. The sting of tears threatened to spill and she let out a sigh.

"Mom, I'm not sure what I'm doing anymore. So much has changed within the past couple of days and I don't know how to make heads or tails from it. I've lost who I was before all of this and I don't know how to get back to that. I never asked for any of this, but because of my power I have to protect the things that I have come to love the most."

A barely audible hiss came from a nearby willow tree made the hair on her neck stand up but she kept still, not wanting her predator to know she was aware of its presence.

"I don't know where this power came from or how I attained it, but all it's done is hurt people. I wish you or someone could explain to me why I am placed with all of these burdens but I suppose that's for me to figure out. I'm forced to believe that gods, aliens, and superheroes all exist and that I can help win the fight what's coming our way."

She could feel it moving in closer, seemingly coming at her from all angles.

"Maybe this is what I was meant for or maybe I fell into this by accident but whatever the reason I know what I need to do. I've had my share of mistakes in the past few days, but like I've always done I'll take this one step at a time and hope that everything will fall into place. I love you mom, thanks for listening."

She stood up in an unthreatening manor, but very wary of her unwanted visitor. She looked around again trying to figure out where the hunter was hiding, but they were again invisible. She moved forward, deciding to investigate the willow tree. The weather decided to go against her as the clouds shaded what little light she had and a gust of wind came up, twirling her hair with it. The hiss came again and Lyra had to hold back a yelp as it was right by her left ear, a guttural edge to it. She whirled around expecting to find her attacker, fists raised. Of course they were gone again, but the voice could still be heard and it took her a second to figure out that it wasn't hissing anymore, it was _laughing._

"Who are you? Show yourself!" She screamed into the night.

She backed up until she hit the willow tree, about slamming her fist into it in alarm. Adrenaline ran fast through her veins and she felt very on edge now. With her back to the tree, she listened as the cold laugh still assaulted her ears. It came from all around her, bouncing off of shadows and stone. Lyra started to retreat into herself, feeling weighed down by the monstrous voice.

"Where are you?" She shouted, clutching her ears and shutting her eyes.

The voice stopped and Lyra lowered her hands, straining to hear anything.

"Here."

Arms of bark wrapped around her neck, sending her into frenzy. She tried to scream or kick, but her attacker had her at a disadvantage. With no room to breath she slowly gave into the darkness, but not before she saw a pair of burning red eyes glowering down at her.

* * *

**Here we go, finally getting into some action now. Wonder what grabbed Lyra... Guess you'll have to wait until the next one. Heads up, next chapter will be Loki's POV so you can start squealing now. Thank you to all who have kept up with this story. I do this for pleasure and to explore my abilities as a writer. It means so much to have people interested in it and wanting to read on. **

**Don't forget to review, favorite or follow!**

**Until next time,**

**ASTS**


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